Outdoor Adventure Commission approves extra $500,000 for Puffer Lake property acquisition

The Utah Outdoor Adventure Commission voted on a voice motion at its meeting to allocate an additional $500,000 from the outdoor recreation restricted account to the Puffer Lake property acquisition, a move aimed at helping Beaver County reach the funding milestone needed to acquire the parcel.

Speaker 2 moved the allocation and Speaker 7 seconded; Chair (Speaker 1) put the motion to a voice vote and the commission approved it. Commissioners confirmed that the commission has sufficient funds available and that the county's own contribution and prior awards bring the project closer to the $5 million the county said it needs to complete the land purchase. The land was discussed as listed at about $4.7 million, with the broader project and infrastructure needs previously estimated at $7 million.

Supporters said local management would make the property more accessible for recreation and pointed to Beaver County's successful management of other local recreation assets. Commissioners noted that the additional $500,000 would not necessarily cover all development costs but would help the county reach the threshold needed to complete the land purchase and move toward project implementation.

The motion passed by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript. The commission did not attach additional conditions to the allocation in the recorded discussion and did not specify a further timeline for contract execution; staff indicated they will proceed with normal contracting and reporting steps.