10 More days!
We hope everyone had an enjoyable President’s Day weekend, filled with relaxation and maybe a bit of reflection on our nation’s history.
This session, the spotlight has been on a concerning trend: a surge of legislation pushing for continued investment in fossil fuels. However, we must be crystal clear: this approach is wrong. Not only does the continual investment in fossil fuels harm our environment, but it also jeopardizes our economy and impedes our progress toward energy independence.
As we enter the final stretch with only 10 days left, the stakes are high, and every decision is crucial.
So, buckle up! It’s time to dive deep into the heart of the matter and stay informed about the legislation shaping our state’s future. Let’s make these last days count and ensure that Utah moves forward on a path that protects our environment and its health.
El nuevo
Here is a breakdown of the new pieces of legislation that HEAL Utah is watching and strategizing around.
- ✅ Support: House Bill 453 Great Salt Lake Revisions, Sponsored by Rep Snider, establishes regulations on element and mineral extraction activities on the Great Salt Lake. Status – Passed House Floor— sent to Senate Rules Committee
- ✅ Support: Senate Bill 191 Grid Enhancing Technologies, sponsored by Sen. Blouin, establishes a program to incentivize utilities to deploy technologies enhancing the electrical grid. Status – Passed Senate Floor, sent to House Rules Committee.
- ✅ Support: Senate Bill 249 Public Utility Expenditures Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Blouin, prohibits utilities from recovering expenses from lobbying, advertising, and political activities in rates. Status – Senate Business and Labor Committee.
- 👀 Watching: House Bill 452 Carbon Capture Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Chew, establishes a fee per ton of carbon dioxide for users utilizing a state-run carbon storage facility. Status – Passed House Floor, sent to Senate Rules Committee.
- 👀 Watching: House Bill 433 Brine Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Bolinder, addresses the mining of brine used for mineral extraction. Status – Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee.
- ❌ Oppose: Senate Bill 224 Energy Independence Amendments sponsored by Sen. Sandall, creates a cost recovery mechanism for power plants to keep them running. Status – Passed Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee, sent to Senate Floor.
- ❌ Oppose: Senate Bill 161 Energy Security Amendments, sponsored by Sen. Owens, proposes new processes for shutting down power plants. Status – Passed Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee, sent to Senate Floor.
The Good: Movement on Bills HEAL Utah Supports
- Senate Bill 118 Water Efficiency Amendments, provides incentives through grant opportunities for new residential developments if developers use water-efficient landscaping. Passed house and was sent to House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee.
- House Bill 448 State Water Program Reporting Requirements, addresses reporting requirements and collaborations for water optimization efforts through the legislature and state agencies. Passed House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee, sent to House Floor.
- House Bill 449 Pedestrian Safety and Facilities Act Modifications, requires consideration of bicyclist safety in street design and enhances guidelines for pedestrian and bicyclist safety devices. Passed House Floor, sent to Senate Rules Committee.
- Senate Bill 196 Great Salt Lake Amendments, assigns duties to the commissioner for managing the Great Salt Lake, emphasizing its significance in conserving the lake’s resources. Passed Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee, sent to Senate Floor.
- House Bill 473 School Transit Amendments, creates the “Transit Access Pass for Students pilot grant program” which is a three-year pilot program to provide funding to schools to provide free public transit passes to the following: students, parents of students, and LEA staff, including teachers. Assigned to House Education Committee.
- Senate Bill 191 Grid Enhancing Technologies, establishes a program to incentivize utilities to deploy technologies enhancing the electrical grid. Passed Senate Floor, sent to House Rules Committee.
- House Bill 11 Water Efficient Landscaping Requirements, restricts the use of lawn or turf on new governmental entities within the Great Salt Lake Basin. Passed Senate Business and Labor Committee, sent to Senate Floor.
- House Bill 65 Active Transportation and Canal Trail Amendments, requires the state to inventory certain canals, directs UDOT to develop a canal trail toolkit for municipalities, and allows the Transportation Commission to consider canal trails for corridor preservation. Held at the House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee.
- House Bill 126 Emissions Regulation Amendments, restricts high NOx emissions vehicles in certain counties and bans medium to heavy-duty trucks with high NOx emissions. Held at the House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee.
- House Bill 279 Air Quality Amendments, mandates reductions in air pollutants in the Wasatch Front area and deals with vehicle registration revocation for emissions testing evasion. Introduced at House Rules Committee.
- House Bill 85 Electric Bike Amendments, clarifies definitions of electric bicycles and distinguishes them from mopeds or motorcycles. Passed both House and Senate Floor, sent to Governor.
- House Bill 109 Safe School Route Evaluations, requires a school traffic safety committee to include recommendations for infrastructure improvements in child access routing plans. Failed recommendation at the House Transportation Committee.
- Senate Bill 142 Lawn Equipment Tax Credits, creates a 30% tax credit on retail sale of electric-powered lawn equipment for residential and commercial use. Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee.
- Senate Bill 170 Clean Truck Incentive Program, establishes a grant program for medium and heavy-duty zero-emission trucks. Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee.
- House Bill 401 Water Usage Amendments, restricts irrigation for lawns and turf during specific periods of the year. House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee.
- Senate Bill 189 Net Metering Energy Amendments, Alters the credit rate awarded to residential and small businesses’ rooftop solar customers. Passed Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee, sent to Senate Floor.
- House Bill 107 Recycling Facility Transparency Amendments, Defines a recycling facility and requires political subdivisions to publish data about collecting recyclable materials. Passed both House and Senate Floor, sent to Governor.
The Bad: Movement on bills HEAL Utah opposes
- House Bill 373 Environmental Quality Amendments, makes changes to the Air Quality Advisory Board and adds members from the manufacturing and fuels industries. Passed House Floor, sent to Senate.
- House Bill 502 Critical Infrastructure and Mining, strips counties of the ability to regulate mining operations and allows for mining projects throughout the state. Assigned to House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee.
- House Bill 353 Mining Operations Amendments, changes mining permit procedures and removes the requirement for public comment during permit amendments. Passed House Floor, sent to Senate Business and Labor Committee.
- Senate Bill 211 Generational Water Infrastructure Amendments, establishes a Water Development Council and a Utah water agent to advise major water districts on long-term infrastructure plans. House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee.
- House Bill 241 Clean Energy Amendments, changes the term ‘renewable’ to ‘clean’ as it relates to the generation of energy and defines nuclear energy and systems including carbon capture, carbon sequestration, and geothermal as clean energy sources. Passed both chambers, sent to Governor.
- House Bill 191 Electrical Energy Amendments, sets conditions for when the Utah Public Service Commission may approve the early retirement of an electrical generation facility. Passed both Chambers, sent to Governor.
- House Bill 374 State Energy Policy Amendments, modifies Utah’s energy policy and establishes priorities for investment and importance to the state. Passed Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee, sent to Senate Floor.
- House Bill 373 Environmental Quality Amendments, makes changes to the Air Quality Advisory Board and adds members from the manufacturing and fuels industries. Passed House Floor, sent to Senate.
- Senate Bill 172 Protection Areas Revisions, provisions allowing for the construction of Parley’s Canyon Mine. Senate Rules Committee.
- Senate Bill 75 Mineral Amendments, adds “critical mineral deposit” and changes tax credit limits for mining exploration. Passed House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee, sent to House Floor.
- Senate Bill 57 Utah Constitutional Sovereignty Act, enables Utah to challenge presidential executive orders or federal regulations that lawmakers think infringe on the state’s sovereignty. Governor signed into law.
- Senate Bill 155 Road Usage Charge Program Amendments, weakens the Road Usage Charge Program, creating additional charges to electric vehicles and excluding hybrid vehicles. Passed Senate, sent to House Rules Committee.
- Senate Bill 120 Intermountain Power Agency Modifications modifies the Intermountain Power Agency board members. Introduced – Senate Rules Committee.
- Senate Bill 224 Energy Independence Amendments, creates a cost recovery mechanism for power plants to keep them running. Passed Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee, sent to Senate Floor.
- Senate Bill 161 Energy Security Amendments, proposes new processes for shutting down power plants. Status: Passed Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee, sent to Senate Floor.
- House Bill 407 Eminent Domain Modifications, blocks eminent domain rights if the area is intended for mining activities. Passed House Floor, sent to Senate Rules Committee.
- House Bill 92 Voting Amendments, changes vote by mail regulations. Held at House Government Operations Committee.
- House Bill 214 Election Modifications, updates the rule for valid mailed ballots. Held at House Government Operations Committee.
De cara al futuro
As we dive into the upcoming week, our team is ramping up efforts to advocate for the movement of many of these bills. We’re preparing public comments, drafting action alerts, and collaborating with legislators behind the scenes to safeguard our environment and its people.
Crucial decisions are on the horizon, particularly regarding Parleys Canyon, Net-Metering, the Great Salt Lake, air quality, and energy infrastructure. These decisions will shape the trajectory of our state’s environmental policies and directly impact the well-being of our communities
Events/Community Lobbying
This Jueves, from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM at the Senate Building (East Building) in the Utah State Capitol Complex, join us for Rural Day on the Hill! Learn how legislation works, discover key bills, and connect with your lawmakers. This event, in collaboration with the Rural Utah Project, focuses on rural residents’ voices in policymaking.
Get creative with HEAL for our Art Build, gearing up for the Rally for Utah’s Environmental Future! This Sábado, Febrero 24th, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at the HEAL Utah office. Let’s craft signs and visuals together to advocate for a healthier Utah. Febrero 26, Rally For Utah’s Environmental Future
¡ACTÚA!
SAVE PARLEYS CANYON – URGENT ACTION NEEDED AGAINST H.B. 502, H.B. 353, AND S.B. 172
Take action to protect Parleys Canyon! HEAL Utah opposes bills threatening local control over mining projects. Bills like H.B. 502, S.B. 172, and H.B. 353 jeopardize public health and environmental safety. Contact legislators to oppose these bills. Your voice matters in safeguarding our communities and environment. Act now for a healthier future!
PROTECT UTAH’S CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE— CONTACT UTAH LAWMAKERS TO VOTE NO ON S.B. 224, H.B. 48, H.B. 374
Act now to protect Utah’s Clean Energy Future! Proposed bills threaten progress towards renewable energy, risking clean air and green job opportunities. Bills like S.B. 224, H.B. 48, and H.B. 374 prioritize fossil fuels over sustainability. Contact lawmakers to oppose these bills and advocate for a cleaner, more prosperous future for Utah.
More ways to Take Action
For a detailed breakdown of ways to get involved during the legislative session, be sure to read our “TAKE ACTION DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION” guide. It provides step-by-step guidance on how you can influence policies and support our mission.