SALT LAKE CITY — A resolution that seeks to have Utah "co-manage" the national parks and other federal lands in the state has passed a House committee.
House Concurrent Resolution 12, sponsored by Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, has gotten increased attention because of deep cuts being imposed by the Trump administration on federal agencies. That was top of mind at Tuesday's hearing before the House Public Utilities Committee.
But Rep. Eliason insisted the state was not seeking to take over the "Mighty 5" national parks.
"This is not buying, transferring the national parks to Utah. They remain federally-designated national parks. Clearly there is a funding void and the bureaucracy to get things done is immense," he told the committee.
FOX 13 News first reported on the resolution last month.
Rep. Eliason argued there is $400 million in deferred maintenance projects among Utah's national parks and national monuments. Those are things like trail repairs, road repairs, restroom repairs and invasive species removal. The resolution could have Utah make some improvements, but also get a cut of the admission fees.
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"When we had the last federal government shutdown instead of letting the national parks close, Utah stepped in and pumped in millions of dollars to keep the parks open," Rep. Eliason told FOX 13 News. "Because we see the value for our people. So if there’s gridlock in DC, we’d like to be the solution to keep the gates open and the campgrounds open."
The resolution expands beyond the national parks to other federal lands. It also seeks to create new state parks near Flaming Gorge, Monte Cristo, Little Sahara Sand Dunes and on Skyline Drive in Bountiful.
But given the deep cuts being made to the federal government, some lawmakers worried about the costs the state might have to absorb.
"I like the idea that we have more recreation opportunity, but let’s not get into the deep water without learning how to swim and how to fund these things," said Rep. Carl Albrecht, R-Richfield.
Rep. Rosalba Dominguez, D-Murray, questioned if anyone will be around to operate the parks.
"With the firing of a lot of our... federal employees, we’re going to face a lot of these parks that are probably not going to let people go onto them," she said.
The bill had support from Redge Johnson, the head of the state's public lands policy office.
"This is not really a new concept, I guess," he told lawmakers. "The Biden administration has already done this. They did this with Bears Ears."
In a statement to FOX 13 News, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance blasted the resolution.
"This is Utah Republicans' latest round of out-of-touch 'message bills' that they hope will lead to the eventual sell-off, privatization and exploitation of federal public lands in Utah. Governor Cox and the Utah legislature have remained silent as Elon Musk, President Trump and Interior Secretary Burgum gut the federal workforce who are critical to manage the incredible public lands that drive Utah's economy," Steve Bloch, SUWA's legal director said. "Gov. Cox and the legislature should focus on supporting their newly unemployed constituents and neighbors, instead of wasting time on frivolous resolutions."
The resolution passed out of committee on an 8-1 vote. It now goes to the full House of Representatives for consideration.
