Committee hears multiple funding requests: forest NEPA work, water‑reuse distribution, and local fire‑flow projects

Legislative members heard a series of RFA presentations seeking one‑time and restricted funding to advance community projects.

Representative Carl Albrecht presented a one‑time $900,000 RFA to support NEPA and legal work for timber sale and forest resiliency projects in Garfield County and other rural areas. Brianne Emery, deputy director of operations for Forestry, Fire and State Lands, said the funding would contract for archaeology, biology and other technical NEPA tasks so shovel‑ready projects can proceed under the governor’s cooperative agreement with the U.S. Forest Service; Garfield County officials online urged the committee to approve the request.

Representative Shipp and Paul Munro (general manager, water conservancy district) described Phase 2 of the Fluent water‑reuse project for Cedar City, Enoch and Iron County. Phase 1 filtration (Type 1 reuse) cost $5.4 million and is fully funded; distribution infrastructure has raised $3.75 million and local entities pledged $2.0 million. The RFA request is $4.0 million and would, the presenters said, nearly complete the financing to deliver reuse water for irrigation and to idle municipal wells drawing from a declining aquifer.

Representative Peterson and Jordan Oldham (public works director, North Logan City) requested state help to install two waterlines to supply higher fire flow at the Green Canyon wildland‑urban interface, citing recent local fires that threatened municipal water infrastructure and neighborhoods. The presenters said the city will contribute funds but needs state assistance to finish the project; no specific statewide appropriation amount was presented for that request during the hearing.

Committee staff noted votes on appropriations and RFAs are scheduled in the committee’s upcoming meeting cycle; the presenters provided follow‑up contact information and handouts for staff review.