Committee advances voluntary water-leasing program to get more water to Great Salt Lake
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Summary
HB 410 (substitute) would create a statewide agricultural water-leasing program to temporarily lease water to benefit the Great Salt Lake, include safeguards to protect farm production, measurement and reporting requirements, a governing board and a $5 million fiscal note; the committee adopted the substitute and passed the bill out favorably.
Representative Covert presented HB 410 (substitute), describing a voluntary program to lease agricultural water primarily for the benefit of the Great Salt Lake. The bill would create a Great Salt Lake preservation fund, establish governance and oversight, compensate producers, and include measurement, reporting and enforcement provisions. Representative Covert said the program would include safeguards such as limiting participation on the same field to no more than two of five growing seasons and would sunset in 2030 to allow assessment of effectiveness.
Hannah Freese, deputy commissioner for Great Salt Lake, described consultations with farmers and stakeholders and said the program would give producers flexibility and encourage voluntary participation. Several stakeholders testified in support, including Trout Unlimited, Grow the Flow and the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. Amber Brown of UDAF said the program is voluntary, compensates producers and was designed with agricultural input.
Representative Brooks moved the substitute and the committee adopted sub 1 and voted to pass HB 410 out favorably by voice vote. The bill will proceed to the House calendar for further consideration.
