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Senate approves Colorado River authority bill after heated debate over costs and representation
Summary
The Utah Senate passed first substitute House Bill 297, creating an authority to protect the state's Colorado River water allocation. Supporters said the measure is needed to defend Utah’s share; opponents warned it creates an expensive, opaque agency that may sideline local stakeholders and tribes.
The Utah Senate passed first substitute House Bill 297 on March 3, authorizing a new body to help preserve and defend the state’s Colorado River allocation. Sponsors described the bill as a technical and legal shield to protect Utah’s legal rights to river water as flows and legal pressure change.
“Water is the limiting factor for growth,” Senate President Adams said on the floor, arguing the state needs technical specialists,…
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