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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill addresses the Great Salt Lake Commissioner.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 ▸ directs the Great Salt Lake Commissioner to make a plan to address wet water
13 years;
14 ▸ requires reporting; and
15 ▸ makes technical changes.
16 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
17 None
18 Other Special Clauses:
19 This bill provides a special effective date.
20 Utah Code Sections Affected:
21 AMENDS:
22 73-32-202, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 205
23 ENACTS:
24 73-32-205, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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26 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
27 Section 1. Section 73-32-202 is amended to read:
28 73-32-202. Duties and authorizations of the commissioner.
29 (1) The commissioner shall:
30 (a) subject to Section 73-32-204, prepare an approved strategic plan for the long-term
31 health of the Great Salt Lake and update the strategic plan regularly;
32 (b) oversee the execution of the strategic plan by other state agencies as provided in
33 Section 73-32-203;
34 (c) maintain information that measures Great Salt Lake levels, salinity, and overall
35 health;
36 (d) meet regularly with the executive director of the department and with the executive
37 director of the Department of Environmental Quality;
38 (e) consult with the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands regarding Title 65A,
39 Chapter 16, Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Program;
40 (f) monitor the integrated water assessment conducted under Chapter 10g, Part 4, Great
41 Salt Lake Watershed Integrated Water Assessment;
42 (g) inform the governor, the president of the Senate, and the speaker of the House of
43 Representatives, at least annually, about the status of the strategic plan and the progress
44 regarding implementation of the strategic plan;
45 (h) at least annually report to the Executive Appropriations Committee regarding the
46 expenditure of money under this chapter;
47 (i) coordinate and work collaboratively with water conservancy districts that serve
48 water users within the Great Salt Lake watershed; [
49 (j) annually report to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim
50 Committee regarding the activities of the commissioner[
51 (k) develop a wet water year plan as required by Section 73-32-205.
52 (2) The commissioner may:
53 (a) access information from other state or federal agencies related to the Great Salt
54 Lake;
55 (b) develop cooperative agreements between the state, political subdivisions, and
56 agencies of the federal government for involvement in the strategic plan;
57 (c) produce research, documents, maps, studies, analysis, or other information that
58 supports the strategic plan for the Great Salt Lake;
59 (d) facilitate and coordinate the exchange of information, comments, and
60 recommendations on Great Salt Lake policies between and among:
61 (i) state agencies;
62 (ii) political subdivisions;
63 (iii) institutions of higher education that conduct research relevant to the Great Salt
64 Lake;
65 (iv) nonprofit entities; and
66 (v) private business;
67 (e) communicate with the Great Salt Lake Watershed Council created under Chapter
68 10g, Part 3, Watershed Councils Act; and
69 (f) perform other duties that the commissioner considers necessary or expedient to
70 carry out the purposes of this chapter.
71 (3) In fulfilling the duties under this chapter, the commissioner shall consult and
72 coordinate, as necessary, with:
73 (a) the department;
74 (b) the Department of Agriculture and Food;
75 (c) the Department of Environmental Quality;
76 (d) other applicable state agencies;
77 (e) political subdivisions of the state;
78 (f) federal agencies;
79 (g) elected officials; and
80 (h) local tribal officials.
81 Section 2. Section 73-32-205 is enacted to read:
82 73-32-205. Plan for wet water years.
83 (1) As used in this section:
84 (a) "Plan" means the plan developed under Subsection (2).
85 (b) "Water year" means a 12 month period beginning October 1 and ending September
86 30.
87 (c) "Wet water year" means hydrologic and meteorological conditions with
88 precipitation or runoff resulting in or reasonably expected to lead to substantially higher than
89 normal water levels in rivers, reservoirs, or soil moisture in the Great Salt Lake basin at the end
90 of a water year.
91 (2) (a) The commissioner shall by October 1, 2025, adopt a plan for wet water years to
92 provide guidance for a coordinated effort to maximize the amount of water that makes it into
93 the Great Salt Lake during or following a wet water year.
94 (b) The commissioner shall consult with state agencies, water conservancy districts,
95 and a wide range of stakeholders with diverse interests to assist the commissioner in
96 developing the plan, including stakeholders with expertise in:
97 (i) potable and nonpotable water conservation, storage, use, planning, and distribution;
98 (ii) water rights; and
99 (iii) agricultural, municipal, and industrial water use.
100 (3) The commissioner may update the plan as new information, resources, or
101 technologies become available.
102 (4) The commissioner shall report to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and
103 Environment Interim Committee by no later than the 2025 November interim meeting of that
104 committee concerning the plan.
105 Section 3. Effective date.
106 (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), if approved by two-thirds of all the members
107 elected to each house, this bill takes effect upon approval by the governor, or the day following
108 the constitutional time limit of Utah Constitution, Article VII, Section 8, without the governor's
109 signature, or in the case of a veto, the date of veto override.
110 (2) If this bill is not approved by two-thirds of all members elected to each house, this
111 bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.