§ 63J-8-105.5. Uintah Basin Energy Zone established -- Findings -- Management and land use priorities. (Effective 5/13/2014)

(1) There is established the Uintah Basin Energy Zone in Daggett, Uintah, and Duchesne Counties for the purpose of maximizing efficient and responsible development of energy and mineral resources.

(2) The land area and boundaries of the Uintah Basin Energy Zone are described in Subsection 63J-8-102(21) and illustrated on the map described in Section 63J-8-105.

(3) The state finds that:

(a) the lands comprising the Uintah Basin Energy Zone contain abundant, world-class deposits of energy and mineral resources, including oil, natural gas, oil shale, oil sands, gilsonite, coal, phosphate, gold, uranium, and copper, as well as areas with high wind and solar energy potential; and

(b) the highest management priority for all lands within the Uintah Basin Energy Zone is responsible management and development of existing energy and mineral resources in order to provide long-term domestic energy and supplies for Utah and the United States.

(4) The state supports:

(a) efficient and responsible full development of all existing energy and mineral resources located within the Uintah Basin Energy Zone, including oil, oil shale, natural gas, oil sands, gilsonite, phosphate, gold, uranium, copper, solar, and wind resources; and

(b) a cooperative management approach among federal agencies, state, and local governments to achieve broadly supported management plans for the full development of all energy and mineral resources within the Uintah Basin Energy Zone.

(5) The state calls upon the federal agencies who administer lands within the Uintah Basin Energy Zone to:

(a) fully cooperate and coordinate with the state and with Daggett, Uintah, and Duchesne Counties to develop, amend, and implement land and resource management plans and to implement management decisions that are consistent with the purposes, goals, and policies described in this section to the maximum extent allowed under federal law;

(b) expedite the processing, granting, and streamlining of mineral and energy leases and applications to drill, extract, and otherwise develop all existing energy and mineral resources located within the Uintah Basin Energy Zone, including oil, natural gas, oil shale, oil sands, gilsonite, phosphate, gold, uranium, copper, solar, and wind resources;

(c) allow continued maintenance and increased development of roads, power lines, pipeline infrastructure, and other utilities necessary to achieve the goals, purposes, and policies described in this section;

(d) refrain from any planning decisions and management actions that will undermine, restrict, or diminish the goals, purposes, and policies for the Uintah Basin Energy Zone as stated in this section; and

(e) refrain from implementing a policy that is contrary to the goals and purposes described within this section.

(6) The state calls upon Congress to establish an intergovernmental standing commission among federal, state, and local governments to guide and control planning decisions and management actions in the Uintah Basin Energy Zone in order to achieve and maintain the goals, purposes, and policies described in this section.

(7) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the state's grazing and livestock policies and plans on land within the Uintah Basin Energy Zone shall continue to be governed by Sections 63J-4-401 and 63J-8-104.

Amended by Chapter 321, 2014 General Session