Ensure quality of life for future generations

The final state revenue projections are in, and it's now official: Lawmakers will have more than $1 billion in surplus funds to support needed programs for next year. Education, transportation, social programs, tax reform, a proposed tax cut— all are valid needs worthy of support, but there is another crucial investment that should not be overlooked. With Utah's tremendous growth, it is high time we made a meaningful investment in protecting our watersheds, agricultural lands and community open spaces. We need to fully fund the LeRay McAllister Conservation Fund at $6 million and take a significant step toward ensuring a good quality of life for Utah's future generations.

The challenge of our generation is how to plan effectively for this phenomenal growth while also conserving all that makes Utah special. From our red-rock canyons to our ski slopes, from the Great Salt Lake to our valuable watersheds, the quality of life we enjoy as Utahns depends on protecting our state's unmatched natural heritage. And that's not all. Economically speaking, our wildlife habitat, mountain forests, clean running streams and spectacular natural landmarks are also our competitive advantage in attracting tourism and new business to our state.

So how do we avoid becoming a state clogged with traffic congestion, polluted waters, poor air quality and urban sprawl? How do we take steps not to kill the goose that laid the golden egg? How do we stem the tide of the nearly 17,000 acres of agricultural land lost to development each year? How do we protect our sources of clean drinking water for the future? We must use a portion of this year's budget surplus to make a significant investment in the protection of our state's natural resources.

The good news is, in 1999, the Utah Legislature created the Quality Growth Commission and LeRay McAllister Critical Lands Conservation Fund to address these issues. The fund is named after my late friend and former legislative colleague, Sen. LeRay McAllister. Over the past five years the commission has used the McAllister Fund to complete 54 projects protecting over 54,500 acres of farmland, open space, valuable watersheds and critical wildlife habitat statewide. Every project completed through the LeRay McAllister Fund requires local support, honors private property rights, involves only willing sellers and buyers, keeps lands on the tax rolls, and leverages the state's small investment with substantial federal and private matching funds.