Dear FRIENDS,
The 2022 Utah Legislative Session is underway and Great Salt Lake is receiving specific attention from Governor Cox, Speaker Wilson, and many others. Please do your part to preserve and protect the Great Salt Lake ecosystem by contacting your representatives regarding legislation relevant to the health of Great Salt Lake. Here's what we're tracking:
Action Alerts:
We strongly oppose H.B. 232 which would create the Utah Lake Authority. This bill has been introduced in the House, and will likely be heard in committee this week. Contact legislators today and object to the creation of this agency. We are closely watching this bill, because we believe "As Utah Lake goes, so goes Great Salt Lake." This unaccountable agency will have the authority to funnel public funds to private interests and pursue private development on and around Utah Lake. Learn more about the proposal to dredge Utah Lake and develop manmade islands in this Salt Lake Tribune article and at dontpaveutahlake.org.
Status: Sent to House Political Subdivisions Committee
Who to Contact: Committee Members
We also oppose the Central Iron County Water Conservancy District's Pine Valley Water Supply Project, which is requesting $5.2 million for “preliminary planning and engineering.” This project was presented to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environmental Quality Appropriations Committee on 2/1. No final decisions will be made on this issue until the last 10 days of the legislative session, but it’s never too soon to tell legislators that this would be a subsidy (not a loan) of tax dollars for an unsustainable water development project that would deplete groundwater from the Great Salt Lake watershed. Click here to read more about this project.
Status: Presented to Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environmental Quality Appropriations Committee on 2/1
Who to Contact: Committee Members & Your Representatives
Amendments:
H.B. 33 Instream Water Flow Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Ferry. This bill provides that certain entities or individuals may file a change application to provide water for an instream flow or for use on sovereign lands. It allows state agencies like the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands to lease, purchase, and accept donated water rights for the sovereign lands they manage. We strongly support this critical expansion of legal options to deliver more water to Great Salt Lake.
Status: Good news! Passed by House; sent to Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee
Who to Contact: Committee Members
H.B. 157 Sovereign Lands Revenue Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Tim Hawkes. This bill protects the Sovereign Lands Revenue Account from being raided by unrelated interests. It also creates a specific Great Salt Lake Account, wherein the royalties from Great Salt Lake mining industries would be stored and used for the specific benefit of Great Salt Lake.
Status: Good news! Passed by House; approved in Senate committee, awaiting Senate vote
Who to Contact: Your Senator
Water Conservation:
We're keeping an eye on several bills that address water conservation, the most aggressive of which is H.B. 121 Water Conservation Modifications, sponsored by Rep. Spendlove. This bill prohibits certain lawn or turf requirements; imposes requirements related to water conservation at state government facilities and by state agencies; provides for incentives to replace lawn or turf with drought resistant landscaping; and requires the Legislative Water Development Commission to study water conservation in the state. These are important steps toward water conservation, which is important for the preservation of Great Salt Lake.
Status: Good news! Passed by House; Sent to Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee
Who to Contact: Committee Members
We also support:
S.B. 73 Flow Rates or Quantity for Plumbing Fixtures, sponsored by Sen. Iwamoto. This bill modifies the residential and plumbing code adopted by the state to address maximum flow rates or quantity for certain plumbing fixtures. This is an important step toward residential water conservation and improved efficiency that can stretch our water resources further and benefit Great Salt Lake.
Status: Good news! Passed by Senate; sent to House Business and Labor Committee
Who to Contact: Committee Members
S.B. 89 Water Amendments, sponsored by Sen. Iwamoto. This bill requires water providers to set water conservation goals. During our current extreme drought, water conservation is critical for the preservation of Great Salt Lake and the security of our future water supplies.
Status: Good news! Approved in committee, awaiting Senate vote
Who to Contact: Your Senator
H.B. 95 Landscaping Requirement Prohibition, sponsored by Rep. Ward. This bill prohibits certain government or private entities from requiring a property owner or resident to plant or maintain lawn or turf. Preventing wasteful watering and promoting responsible landscaping is critical as Utah continues to experience drought. Eliminating lawn and turf requirements is a necessary step toward secondary water conservation and the preservation of Great Salt Lake.
Status: Sent to House Political Subdivisions Committee
Who to Contact: Committee Members
S.B. 110 Water as Part of General Plan, sponsored by Sen. McKell. This bill requires cities and counties to consider water during their land use planning. Currently, cities and counties are not required to think about how their land use regulations influence water use. By considering water use during land use planning, the amount of water required for development could be reduced, more growth could be accommodated without increasing pressure for additional source development, and less water could be diverted from the entire Great Salt Lake watershed or other natural systems.
Status: Good news! Approved in committee, awaiting Senate vote
Who to Contact: Your Senator
Budget:
This year, Governor Cox presented his budget from Antelope Island with a promise to prioritize Great Salt Lake issues. We're specifically watching for $200 million dollars to support secondary water metering. Secondary water metering is an important tool to help consumers understand their water use and move toward conservation. Click here to learn more and access the Governor's proposed budget.
In case you missed it, Speaker Wilson recently hosted a summit on Great Salt Lake. Check it out by clicking here. One item of note discussed at the summit was the allocation of America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for Great Salt Lake, specifically, we're looking for $50 million to be used to purchase water rights for the Lake.
How You Can Help:
Contacting your representatives during the legislative session is an important responsibility and really does make a difference. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with this legislation and reach out with any questions you might have, then contact your representatives and let them know that you support initiatives to preserve and protect Great Salt Lake.