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H.C.R. 5

             1     

RESOLUTION ON WEST DESERT

             2     
WILDERNESS

             3     
2000 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Sponsor: Dennis H. Iverson

             6      A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR URGING
             7      CONGRESS TO REJECT LEGISLATION DESIGNATING WILDERNESS IN THE WEST
             8      DESERT REGION OF UTAH UNLESS THE LEGISLATION FULLY PROTECTS THE
             9      INTERESTS OF THE STATE.
             10      Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
             11          WHEREAS, H.R. 3035, Wilderness Areas in Utah National Park System Lands, has been
             12      introduced in the United States House of Representatives, heard in the House Committee on
             13      Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands, and awaits committee mark up; and
             14          WHEREAS, federal legislation governing Utah wilderness must protect the interests of the
             15      state:
             16          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
             17      Governor concurring therein, urge that any federal legislation designating wilderness in the west
             18      desert region of the state must, at a minimum, provide that:
             19          (1) the designation be subject to all preexisting rights and rights held by state, local, and
             20      tribal governmental entities and that no federal law shall terminate or affect any valid lease, permit,
             21      patent, right-of-way, or other land use right or authorization or privilege;
             22          (2) the grazing of livestock be permitted to continue based on sound range management,
             23      including predator control, permanent structures and water projects, which benefit the resource and
             24      ensure that grazing levels will remain viable for the operators within the wilderness areas;
             25          (3) the designation of wilderness areas in the west desert region of the state shall not lead
             26      to the creation of protective perimeters or buffer zones around any such wilderness area and that
             27      the creation of protective perimeters or buffer zones outside of the designated areas shall be

             28      prohibited;
             29          (4) no federal law shall change standards governing air or water quality outside of the
             30      designated wilderness areas;
             31          (5) no federal law shall constitute either an expressed or implied reservation of ground
             32      water or surface water;
             33          (6) no federal law shall restrict or preclude or require prior approval for timely access to
             34      any area necessary to respond to emergency situations, including fire prevention or eradication, and
             35      immediate access, including access for emergency and rescue vehicles and equipment, shall not
             36      be restricted if human life or health or property may be in jeopardy;
             37          (7) the Secretary of the Interior shall not continue the plan amendment process initiated
             38      pursuant to Section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and identified by federal
             39      Register notice dated March 18, 1999, page 13439 within Box Elder, Tooele, Juab, Millard,
             40      Beaver, Iron, and Washington counties, and the lands of the United States administered by the
             41      Bureau of Land Management in these counties shall not be subject to future wilderness reinventory
             42      or study under Section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976;
             43          (8) the public lands in Box Elder, Tooele, Juab, Millard, Beaver, Iron, and Washington
             44      counties which are not designated for wilderness shall be released from further wilderness study
             45      and shall be managed in accordance with the multiple use principles and definitions under the
             46      Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976;
             47          (9) the Secretary of the Interior's inventory, land use planning, and land management
             48      authority shall not include the authority to revisit the issue of wilderness protection for the public
             49      lands not designated wilderness in federal law; and
             50          (10) the Bureau of Land Management shall take into account the land use plans of local
             51      governmental and tribal governments and shall alter or amend existing land use plans for west
             52      desert wilderness areas to accommodate these local land use interests, including law enforcement,
             53      emergency services, and access by county government to ensure provision of public services and
             54      protection of county interests.
             55          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the President of the
             56      United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the chairs of the
             57      United States House of Representatives Committee on Resources' Subcommittee on National
             58      Parks and Public Lands, and the members of Utah's congressional delegation.





Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-2-00 11:17 AM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

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