Amy Joi O Donoghue writes: "A special session convened Wednesday by lawmakers who took up two key issues that are top priorities in Utah, securing enough energy for the state’s future growth and retaining access to federal lands for purposes of multiple use — such as grazing, recreation, transmission lines, renewable energy and wildfire mitigation and more.
"HB3004 by Sen. Derrin Owens, R-Fountain Green, revamped provisions of an earlier bill dealing with the Intermountain Power Agency’s Delta power plant that plans to transition to natural gas in a little more than a year ...
"The measure, HB3002 by Rep. Walt Brooks, R-St. George sets aside $6.7 million for the next fiscal year drawing mostly on funds allocated to the Utah Attorney General’s Office and Utah Department of Natural Resources.
"It renames the Public Lands Litigation Restricted Account the Federal Overreach Restricted Account for the purpose of litigating or defending state and local government interests on federal land issues, consolidating the different pots of money being used in legal rights under one umbrella."
Read more about HB3004 and HB3002.