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Senate approves bill to pursue creation of Hole in the Rock State Park, requires consultation with foundation and counties
Summary
House Bill 63 authorizes work to explore creating a Hole in the Rock State Park on federal lands, requires consultation with the Hole in the Rock Foundation and affected counties, and passed third reading after amendment.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Senate approved House Bill 63, which authorizes the Division of State Parks and Recreation to pursue coordination with the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service to explore creating the Hole in the Rock State Park.
Sponsor Senator Dayton described the historical significance of the Hole in the Rock expedition and said the bill authorizes discussions about acquiring or cooperating on land near the expedition’s launch site. Dayton moved an amendment to require consultation with the Hole in the Rock Foundation, which owns the Bluff Fort, and to encourage coordination with affected counties; the Senate adopted the amendment by voice vote.
Senator Fillmore asked whether the bill requires the Division of State Parks to consult federal agencies and local landowners; Dayton confirmed the bill requires coordination with affected counties, landowners and the Hole in the Rock Foundation and that it would be a long-term process to assess financial sustainability.
The sponsor moved for third reading after the amendment; a roll-call vote recorded 23 yea votes, 0 nays and 6 absent, and the amended bill passed on third reading.
The bill directs state parks to pursue the multistakeholder process but does not itself transfer federal land; proponents said it aims to assess feasibility, seek consensus with local stakeholders and consider financial sustainability over the long term.
