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H.J.R. 6

             1     

RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE CENTRAL

             2     
UTAH WATER ALLOCATION

             3     
2000 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Sponsor: Bradley T. Johnson

             6      A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATURE EXPRESSING CONTINUED SUPPORT OF
             7      THE CENTRAL UTAH PROJECT AS OFFERED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN
             8      THE CENTRAL UTAH PROJECT COMPLETION ACT.
             9      Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             10          WHEREAS, in 1964, people of vision and foresight created the Central Utah Water
             11      Conservancy District to administer the development of the various proposed units of the Central
             12      Utah Project;
             13          WHEREAS, the purpose of the project was and continues to be the development of Utah's
             14      portion of the upper Colorado River water for the benefit of counties in central and south-central
             15      Utah and the people of the entire state;
             16          WHEREAS, since 1965 Juab and Utah County citizens have been paying property taxes
             17      into the Central Utah Water Conservancy District in anticipation that they would receive irrigation
             18      water, one of several original purposes of the project;
             19          WHEREAS, Utah's congressional delegation realizes the importance of the Colorado River
             20      water to the people of Utah and has fought for the authorizations and appropriations necessary to
             21      build the project;
             22          WHEREAS, completion of the Central Utah Project and delivery of Utah's portion of the
             23      Colorado River water is vital to the continued long-term prosperity of the state;
             24          WHEREAS, Congress approved the Central Utah Project Completion Act in 1992;
             25          WHEREAS, the 1992 Completion Act began a new era in the process by which these
             26      projects are constructed by requiring, as a condition to the federal government's further
             27      participation, that those who receive the benefits of the project contribute a significant percentage,

             28      from 35% to 50%, of the up-front design and construction costs on a concurrent or "as needed"
             29      basis;
             30          WHEREAS, the 1992 Completion Act became a model for similar projects throughout the
             31      country as an example of state and federal governments acting as partners in a cooperative effort
             32      to not only complete the project but to mitigate environmental damage;
             33          WHEREAS, the 1992 Central Utah Project Completion Act created the Utah Reclamation
             34      Mitigation and Conservation Commission, which has developed and implemented a mitigation and
             35      conservation plan to address mitigation and conservation projects within the Central Utah Project
             36      that restore fish and wildlife habitats and species populations and that provide related outdoor
             37      recreation opportunities;
             38          WHEREAS, the district developed a federal prepayment plan that generated $117 million
             39      in savings for district taxpayers and obtained special legislation in order to implement the plan;
             40          WHEREAS, the prepayment plan has enabled the district to meet its local cost share
             41      requirements for the completion of the project without raising the district's tax rate;
             42          WHEREAS, the district has determined that each of the project features is wanted and
             43      needed, and meets the test of economic and environmental viability;
             44          WHEREAS, the project is nearing completion and requires continued federal
             45      appropriations to complete the project; and
             46          WHEREAS, construction of the remaining final features is critically important to the
             47      overall project and to the people of Utah:
             48          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah strongly
             49      expresses to the United States Congress and the Secretary of the Interior its continued support of
             50      the Central Utah Project as offered by the federal government in the Central Utah Project
             51      Completion Act.
             52          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah urges that irrigation
             53      water for Juab and Utah counties be provided, in keeping with the original purposes of the project.
             54          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the President of the
             55      United States, the Secretary of the Interior, the Chairs of the Appropriations Committees in the
             56      United States Senate and House of Representatives, and the members of Utah's congressional
             57      delegation.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 12-22-99 2:58 PM

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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