53H-4-318. Utah Forest Restoration Institute.
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Effective 5/6/2026
53H-4-318. Utah Forest Restoration Institute.
(1)As used in this section:
(a)"Institute" means the Utah Forest Restoration Institute created in Subsection
(2).
(b)"Watershed Restoration Initiative" means the initiative created in Section 79-2-602 .
(2)There is created the Utah Forest Restoration Institute in connection with Utah State University.
(3)The institute shall:
(a)conduct research as provided by state and federal laws governing the establishment and maintenance of southwest ecological restoration institutes;
(b)study how the state can improve the health of forests, woodland ecosystems, and watersheds;
(c)recommend mitigation strategies that reduce the risks and impacts of wildfire;
(d)coordinate with the Watershed Restoration Initiative to fund watershed and forest restoration projects in accordance with Subsection
(4); and
(e)monitor the long-term effectiveness of watershed and forest restoration projects funded by the state.
(4)To coordinate the funding of watershed and forest restoration projects with the Watershed Restoration Initiative, the institute shall:
(a)review a prioritized list of watershed restoration projects submitted by the Watershed Restoration Initiative;
(b)approve funding for watershed restoration projects based on:
(i)immediate need for watershed and forest health;
(ii)the projected short-term and long-term benefit to watershed and forest health;
(iii)available funds; and
(iv)recommendations from the Watershed Restoration Initiative; and
(c)before May 1 of each year, notify the Watershed Restoration Initiative of the approved watershed restoration projects from the prioritized list described in Subsection (4)(a) .
(a)The Watershed Restoration Initiative may submit an emergency request for funding to the institute in response to a wildfire, flooding event, or other natural disaster.
(b)If the institute receives an emergency request for funding from the Watershed Restoration Initiative, the institute shall:
(i)within 72 hours of receiving the request, review the emergency request for funding;
(ii)within 96 hours of receiving the request, notify the Watershed Restoration Initiative of the institute's decision to provide funding for the request; and
(iii)within a reasonable time of receiving the request, if the institute decides to provide funding for the request, distribute funding to the Watershed Restoration Initiative.
(a)The institute shall prepare and submit an annual report on or before July 1 of each year to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environmental Quality Appropriations Subcommittee.
(b)The report shall include:
(i)a list of programs funded by the institute;
(ii)any programs or research completed in the previous year and an assessment of the programs or research; and
(iii)a complete operating and financial statement for the preceding fiscal year.
Enacted by Chapter 418 , 2026 General Session