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Senate removes cap on Water Development Fund, earmarks money for watershed restoration
Summary
Senate Bill 204 removes the cap from the Water Development Fund and sets aside funds (including $3 million) for watershed restoration; senators said the change will help rural municipalities and can be matched with federal funds; SB204 passed third reading unanimously present.
Senator Peterson introduced Senate Bill 204 to remove the statutory cap on the Water Development Fund and to authorize additional expenditures, including a $3,000,000 allocation for watershed restoration. Peterson described how the cap had limited municipalities and irrigation companies' access to funds for infrastructure projects that support long-term growth and resilience, citing costly damage in areas such as St. George as an example where watershed restoration might have reduced devastation.
Senator Hatch supported the bill on the floor, noting an unusual window of federal funding that could be matched with state dollars to increase the impact of watershed projects over the next four years. Peterson said she would offer a clarifying amendment on third reading to specify the $3 million source.
The Senate called the question on SB204; the bill received 26 yes votes, 0 nays, with 3 absent and was ordered to be read for the third time.
Next steps: sponsors plan a technical amendment before third reading to specify the $3,000,000 source and to finalize language for implementation.
