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Leavitt backs Central Utah Water Project, $10M to buy land near Hill Air Force Base amid BRAC concerns
Summary
Governor Michael O. Leavitt outlined a funding package for the Central Utah Water Project requiring no tax increase, proposed $3M for mitigation/conservation and short-term loans, and recommended $10M to buy property around Hill Air Force Base to limit development that could threaten the base during BRAC proceedings.
Governor Michael O. Leavitt told the legislature his budget includes an approach to advance the Central Utah Water Project without raising taxes and to protect Hill Air Force Base from encroachment.
Leavitt said the state will provide $3,000,000 from general revenues for mitigation and conservation as part of the water package and will offer short-term water loans to help the project through an interim period of roughly three to four years. “This does not end the funding debate. It doesn't fund this forevermore, but it gets us through the next 3 or 4 years,” he said.
On defense‑related land acquisition, Leavitt proposed $10,000,000 to purchase property in and around Hill Air Force Base to prevent residential and institutional encroachment that can jeopardize a base during BRAC (base realignment and closure) proceedings. He argued the state must preserve the mission and jobs associated with the base and described BRAC as partly driven by interservice politics rather than solely by financial criteria.
Leavitt also included $20,000,000 for planning and improvements on Interstate 15 to position the state to obtain federal dollars for larger projects.
The governor said these proposals aim to protect statewide economic interests and to position Utah to compete for federal infrastructure funding; details and statutory steps would follow in the legislative process.
