§ 4-20-3. Rangeland Improvement Account distribution. (Effective 5/13/2014)

(1) The department shall distribute restricted account money as provided in this section.

(a) The department shall:

(i) distribute pro rata to each school district the money received by the state under Subsection 4-20-2(1)(b)(i) from the sale or lease of public lands based upon the amount of revenue generated from the sale or lease of public lands within the district; and

(ii) ensure that all money generated from the sale or lease of public lands within a school district is credited and deposited to the general school fund of that school district.

(b)

(i) After the commissioner approves a request from a regional board, the department shall distribute pro rata to each regional board money received by the state under Subsection 4-20-2(1)(b)(i) from fees based upon the amount of revenue generated from the imposition of fees within that grazing district.

(ii) The regional board shall expend money received in accordance with Subsection (2).

(c)

(i) The department shall distribute or expend money received by the state under Subsections 4-20-2(1)(b)(ii) and (iii) for the purposes outlined in Subsection (2).

(ii) The department may require entities seeking funding from sources outlined in Subsections 4-20-2(1)(b)(ii) and (iii) to provide matching funds.

(2) The department shall ensure that restricted account distributions or expenditures under Subsections (1)(b) and (c) are used for:

(a) range improvement and maintenance;

(b) the control of predatory and depredating animals;

(c) the control, management, or extermination of invading species, range damaging organisms, and poisonous or noxious weeds;

(d) the purchase or lease of lands or a conservation easement for the benefit of a grazing district;

(e) watershed protection, development, distribution, and improvement;

(f) the general welfare of livestock grazing within a grazing district; and

(g) subject to Subsection (3), costs to monitor rangeland improvement projects.

(3) Annual account distributions or expenditures for the monitoring costs described in Subsection (2)(g) may not exceed 10% of the annual receipts of the fund.

Amended by Chapter 189, 2014 General Session