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House approves measure allowing Transportation Commission grants for Beaver County road project
Summary
The Utah House passed Substitute Senate Bill 210, which permits the Transportation Commission to grant funds to counties that meet specified criteria to help cover roads tied to large private development, with sponsors saying the bill is narrowly tailored to Beaver County’s Circle 4 Farms. The House vote was 64–5.
The Utah House on March 4 approved Substitute Senate Bill 210, a measure that authorizes the state Transportation Commission to award grants to counties meeting certain eligibility conditions to build roads associated with major private development.
Sponsor Representative Hatch said the bill does not appropriate state funds directly but permits the commission to make grants in limited circumstances tied to impacts from private business. “Any development within a county that adds more than 15% to the locally assessed value of taxable property in the county, would be a criteria,” Hatch said, describing an amendment he offered and had placed on the pink sheet. Hatch also said the act is limited in scope and duration: the bill allows the commission to issue one grant a year and includes a repeal date of July 1, 1999.
Hatch and other speakers outlined the local economic case. Hatch said Circle 4 Farms recently had a payroll of $8,000,000 and that upon completion it would have a payroll “in excess of $20,000,000,” with a total private investment “over $450,000,000” in western Beaver County. Representative Bowman called the pig farm project “the lifeblood of Beaver County,” and said the measure would help adjoining counties as well.
During questioning, Representative Valentine asked how the Transportation Commission would prioritize where to award Centennial Highway funds; Hatch replied the commission retains discretion to prioritize projects but counties must satisfy the bill’s threshold criteria to apply. The bill also requires a local match; the transcript records the sponsor saying counties “have to match at least a 150 of the grant received” (the transcript does not make clear whether that figure is a percentage or another unit).
The House adopted Hatch’s amendment by voice vote and later passed Substitute Senate Bill 210 on a roll-call measure, 64 yes to 5 no. The clerk announced the bill will be returned to the Senate for action.
