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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION HIGHLIGHTING UTAH'S

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WILLINGNESS TO COOPERATE WITH THE FEDERAL

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PARTNERS FOR EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE

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MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC LANDS

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2022 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Chief Sponsor: Ronald M. Winterton

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House Sponsor: Keven J. Stratton

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10     LONG TITLE
11     Committee Note:
12          The Federalism Commission recommended this bill.
13               Legislative Vote:     8 voting for     0 voting against     1 absent
14     General Description:
15          This resolution recognizes the need for and encourages cooperation and coordination
16     between the state of Utah and relevant federal agencies to manage more efficiently the
17     resources and lands of the state of Utah.
18     Highlighted Provisions:
19          This resolution:
20          ▸     recognizes the goals of the federal government to protect natural resources, lands,
21     and waters of the nation;
22          ▸     recognizes that a high percentage of lands in Utah are managed by the federal
23     government;
24          ▸     recognizes that Utah has a strong history of responsible stewardship over public
25     lands in Utah;
26          ▸     recognizes that the ongoing drought and other conditions in the state of Utah require
27     stronger and more immediate response to properly manage the resources and public

28     lands in the state of Utah;
29          ▸     recognizes certain aspects of the management of the resources in the state of Utah
30     have failed to properly preserve the resources and protect the citizens of the state of
31     Utah; and
32          ▸     encourages greater cooperation and coordination between the state of Utah and
33     relevant federal agencies to improve the management and protection of the
34     resources of the state of Utah.
35     Special Clauses:
36          None
37     

38     Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
39          WHEREAS, President Joseph R. Biden's Executive Order 14008 sets a goal of
40     conserving at least 30% of America's land and water resources by the year 2030;
41          WHEREAS, the United States Department of the Interior, United States Department of
42     Agriculture, United States Department of Commerce, and the Council on Environmental
43     Quality released the Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful Report on May 6, 2021,
44     that similarly sets a goal of conserving 30% of America's lands and water resources by the year
45     2030;
46          WHEREAS, the Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful Report acknowledges
47     that land and water stewardship by private property owners, states, and local governments
48     demonstrates that the most effective and enduring conservation strategies are those that reflect
49     the priorities, needs, and perspectives of the families and communities that know, live, work,
50     and care for the lands and waters;
51          WHEREAS, approximately 23% of Utah, or 12,628,600 acres, receives the highest
52     level of protection available as national parks, wilderness areas, national monuments, and other
53     highly restricted Federal lands;
54          WHEREAS, a host of different federal statutes, including the National Environmental
55     Policy Act, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, the National Forests Management
56     Act, the National Park Service Organic Act, the Antiquities Act, the Taylor Grazing Act, the
57     Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Archeological Resources Protection Act, the National
58     Historic Preservation Act, and others provide varying layers of protections for America's lands,

59     waters, air, and cultural resources;
60          WHEREAS, the people of Utah have a long history of successful stewardship over
61     Utah's lands and waters;
62          WHEREAS, Utah is currently suffering from extreme drought through much of the
63     state;
64          WHEREAS, decades of wildfire suppression and a dearth of timber harvest have led to
65     a growing problem of catastrophic wildfires throughout Utah;
66          WHEREAS, bark beetle infestations have caused significant tree mortality in many of
67     Utah's forests;
68          WHEREAS, changes in Utah's vegetation cover, including the encroachment of
69     coniferous trees into aspen forests and sagebrush rangelands, has degraded habitat for wildlife
70     and domestic livestock;
71          WHEREAS, the state of Utah, in cooperation with federal partners, is successfully
72     working to restore sagebrush and aspen habitat through Utah through the Watershed
73     Restoration Initiative;
74          WHEREAS, the state of Utah is actively working with the United States Forest Service,
75     Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other partners through the Shared Stewardship
76     Program to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires and protect Utah's critical water sources;
77          WHEREAS, the state of Utah's Endangered Species Mitigation Fund successfully
78     directs conservation efforts to assist in the recovery of threatened and endangered species
79     leading to the downlisting of species including: June sucker, humpback chub, razorback
80     sucker, Kanab ambersnail, and Deseret milkvetch;
81          WHEREAS, livestock grazing on public lands forms a critical part of Utah's culture and
82     economy, and is a sustainable, renewable form of food and fiber production on public lands;
83          WHEREAS, Utah's domestic livestock provide critical ecosystem services on public
84     lands, including removal of noxious weeds and reduction in wildfire risk;
85          WHEREAS, the state of Utah's Grazing Improvement Program works to improve
86     sustainable grazing operations throughout the state, including the implementation of rotational
87     grazing systems to reduce environmental impacts and installation of water infrastructure to
88     reduce livestock impacts on water sources;
89          WHEREAS, the Utah Division of State History's anti-vandalism campaign actively

90     works to educate the public on the proper stewardship of archeological resources and better
91     protect archeological resources on public lands;
92          WHEREAS, the state of Utah's Utah Migration Initiative currently works to connect
93     wildlife habitats and migration corridors throughout Utah, including the construction of
94     wildlife overpasses, fish passage structures, and other pro-wildlife infrastructure;
95          WHEREAS, federal designations of Utah's lands and waters, such as national
96     monuments and wilderness areas, can impair the ability of the state and federal agencies
97     partners to achieve conservation and stewardship goals within those designated lands; and
98          WHEREAS, federal designations of Utah's lands and waters can hinder the efforts of
99     the State and federal agencies to improve wildlife habitat and promote biodiversity:
100          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
101     Governor concurring therein, supports the conservation and stewardship of Utah's lands and
102     waters through the voluntary efforts of state agencies, local governments, and private
103     landowners.
104          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor oppose the use of
105     federal designations to lock up more federal land in Utah without the consent of the Legislature
106     and strongly encourages the federal government to honor the principles of state sovereignty.
107          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor strongly
108     encourage state agencies to work with federal partners to honor the state sovereignty, follow
109     the state's resource management plans, and achieve the goals of the Conserving and Restoring
110     America the Beautiful Report in a manner that does not impair the ability of Utahns to use and
111     benefit from Utah's public lands.