With another round of base closures on the horizon, Utah legislators are doing all they can to keep Hill Air Force Base off the Base Realignment and Closure committee's radar — and save Utah's economy from the devastation of losing the base.

A bill that would pump $15 million into economic development at the base and the surrounding community could keep Hill off the latest list of BRAC closures, Layton Mayor Jerry Stevenson said.

Members of the Senate GOP caucus heard a brief presentation Tuesday on the so-called "Hill bill" that would provide $15 million over two years to help bring new jobs to Hill Air Force Base.

Sen. Sheldon Killpack, R-Syracuse, passed out a list of potential projects that would provide 353 jobs immediately — at a cost of $5.29 million. The money will be used to purchase new equipment or upgrade aging equipment that would draw more work to Hill. Currently, must of the work that Hill would seek is being done by private contractors in other states.

Hill, with its 24,000 civilian jobs, pumps $1 billion in payroll directly into the Utah economy. Its additional 23,000 civilian contractor jobs put even more money into the economy. In all, Hill is estimated to have a $4.3 billion impact on Utah's economy, according to Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

"It would be devastating if they closed the base," Davis County Commissioner Dannie McConkie said. "I can't even comprehend it. It wouldn't be damaging to us alone, it would be damaging to the whole state."

Another list provided by Killpack of additional projects being studied added up to 485 more potential new jobs. He said he is seeking $5 million this year plus the commitment of another $10 million for the fund, which would be administered through the Department of Community and Economic Development.

Rick Mayfield, executive director of the Utah Defense Alliance, said while the cost of getting the jobs on the immediately available list of projects added up to more than $5 million, that amount "will make it work."

No vote on the list was taken by the caucus, although the funding was ranked No. 2 on a list of budget priorities for economic development, said Majority Whip Dan Eastman, R-Bountiful.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has ordered another round of base closings that could see as many as 25 percent of all military bases closed.

If Hill survives the BRAC list, supporters say the bill, SB141, would help the base compete with other military installations for jobs axed during the closures.

"The workload has to go somewhere, and we want to be in a position to partner for that workload," Mayfield said.

A local military watchdog said legislators should trust the BRAC process and not "unduly influence" the commission's decision on which bases to close by pumping millions of dollars into Hill Air Force Base.