Huntsman said the Legislature will get a shot at any significant interstate agreement when the executive comes to lawmakers to fund it.

"They have the power of the purse that can offset what we do in the executive branch," Huntsman said. "But we need the authority to enter into regional constructs for water, or fire (fighting) or seeding. We have a lot of shared interests with half a dozen states in our region.

"We need the flexibility and the autonomy" to make such agreements, he added.

"But just the opposite could be true — he actually can tie the hands of the Legislature," said Jenkins, and in effect obligate legislators to fund an interstate agreement well after the governor has signed such an agreement.

In any case, Huntsman said, any agreement he may sign "won't carry much weight" as a policy unless the Legislature, at some future point, funds it.

Huntsman felt some political push-back after he appeared with Schwarzenegger in a public event to sign the climate agreement. Schwarzenegger is seen by some conservative Utahns as a moderate Republican who doesn't stand for the same ideals as they do.

But Curtis said that — even if true — neither Schwarzenegger's politics nor climate change had anything to do with his personal support of SB144.

"(Huntsman) should not be counting on the budget (such agreements may cost); not counting on the money without legislative approval," Curtis said.

---

E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com