Proposed act uses unused budget authority to help Great Salt Lake
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) introduced the Great Salt Lake Water Stewardship Act as a continuation of efforts to save the struggling lake.
The Act would expand the existing water conservation program under the Central Utah Project Completion Act (CUPCA) to include the entire Great Salt Lake drainage basin. It would also allow the Secretary of the Interior to allocate unexpended budget authority from other sections of CUPCA towards the existing water conservation program.
Sen. Lee said in a press release the Act’s use of existing funds would help maximize conservation efforts without placing additional burdens on taxpayers.
Legislation for affordable housing near national parks moves forward
The Lodging Options Developed for Government Employees, or LODGE Act, passed the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources. The act was first presented by Congressman Blake Moore (R-UT) and then reintroduced to Congress with Congressman Jimmy Paneta (D-CA).
The LODGE Act is bipartisan legislation that seeks to address overcrowding and lack of affordable housing in gateway communities near national parks. It would allow the National Park Service to enter into housing partnership agreements with both private and public organizations to facilitate housing projects for field employees, as well as members of the public.
According to a press release, this model has been used by other federal agencies previously, such as Falcon Hill Aerospace Research Park at Hill Air Force Base. The legislation is also supported by the National Park Foundation.
