Utah Lawmaker wants the state to monitor over $ 387 million in deferred federal land maintenance
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Utah Lawmaker wants the state to monitor over $ 387 million in deferred federal land maintenance

Utah was able to take over large deferred maintenance projects at federal recreation places throughout the state during a new resolution that would be introduced in this year’s legislative session.

Rope. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, submitted a bill request on Friday to create a couple of resolutions, including one to work with the federal government to take control of a growing order stock of projects on land managed by National Park Service and other federal agencies. The resolution would urge Utah’s congressional delegation to work with the US Ministry of the Interior and the US Forest Service to allow states – such as Utah – to enter into joint management agreements so that states can ensure that the necessary improvements are taken up.

Deferred maintenance of buildings, campsites, trails, sewage systems and other infrastructure at over a dozen National Park Service Parks in Utah has already climbed to $ 387 million, estimated the agency in 2023. It was part of a nationwide backlog that had risen to over $ 23 billion.

Eliason, as a total red hat with a paper strip who read “Make National Park’s Great Again” is pasted at the top, said that it could ultimately threaten every Park’s appeal in the future – and the quality of life in the state. While the large American Outdoor Act helped to chip away in the case of backlogs, he proposes that the state can cooperate with the federal government and finance the necessary projects to be completed at national parks or other outdoor life managed by Bureau of Land Management or us forest service.

“We know that the federal government has serious financial issues and budgets are now being cut,” he said. “Utah has shown that we will go and help make these properties much better according to a joint management agreement.”

The representative announced his intentions during an event that celebrated Utah’s outdoors and how it has affected technical growth in the state. He told KSL.com afterwards that he has heard positive feedback from colleagues since he proposed the legislation, as well as from rope. Blake Moore.

Part of what he suggests has already begun. Utah Division of State Parks has surpassed some projects at Bureau of Reclamation Land through its partnerships at reservoir -based state parks. Jason Curry, head of the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, said the division was recently able to meet a National Park Service deal to handle a temporary boat ramp by Cataract Canyon at Lake Powell.

Utah has also financed the national park operations during the recent government’s closures.

In the end, the state would have to look at ways of generating the funds, which may come from legislative financing or public-private financing partnership. Although it is a high order, Eliason points out that the process of creating 988 National Suicide Hotline Started with A similar legislative process in Utah.

“We have had experience of doing this before,” he said. “It still has to go through committees and floor negotiations, but today the journey begins.”