Appropriated $5 million for a statewide turf buyback program. "But in the long run? "Youve got a lot of churches with lots and lots of lush, grass that nobody even steps on. SB 110 Requires a water use and preservation element to be part of a municipal or county general plan. "The turf buyback will offer residents the opportunity to apply for a rebate to remove our thirsty grass with water wise landscaping," said Candice Hasenyager, the director of Utah's Division of Water Resources. The program encourages waterwise landscaping, including having lawns only where theyre actively used. First-of-its-kind legislation passed in . Most secondary water is used for agriculture or irrigation. The requirement that general plans of cities and counties integrate land use planning with water as a consideration. SALT LAKE CITY Most of Utah's municipal water goes outdoors about 70 percent. Cox said his administration is committed to pushing for more aggressive conservation measures, but they are long-range considerations and would require the legislature to get on board. For us, we just didnt need it and for those who dont need the water, it gives a little more for those who need to take a little more.. ST. GEORGE, Utah Mayor Michele Randall's backyard is turning brown and she's OK with it. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax The this is the Utah Legislatures passage of a dozen water-related bills and ensuing endorsement by Cox that transform them into law. Landscape Consultations. Lawmakers are already planning on using $280 million of federal COVID-19 relief money from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to improve Utah's water infrastructure. You must apply for the program before starting your park strip project. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints new temple location, Opinion: How to handle the final game of your childs basketball career, No deal on bill to eliminate signature gathering, bill yanked from committee, Proposal would give first-time Utah homebuyers $20,000, Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices, cap costs at $35 for many people with diabetes, All-Star Weekend sting operation leads to child exploitation arrests. We moved here a year ago to the city, so we decided Lets not worry about it., She puts water on her trees and pumpkins, but that is about it. Completed park strips must be irrigated with low-volume drip systems. Communities outside of a partner water districts service area, including unincorporated areas, should work with the division. Over 100 patients with brain tumors attended the same high school. 54 is a bill that is being considered that would eliminate the sales tax on food purchased in the state. If your community does not currently qualify for rebates, contact your elected municipal representative and encourage them to adopt qualifying landscape standards. New study says worst in 1,200 years. Governor Deidre Henderson ceremonially signed key water legislation on Monday, April 18, 2022. $16.00 hourly. All Rights Reserved, Gov. Cox also said there are fewer wildfires burning in Utah in recent weeks, despite the increased danger from dry conditions. Turf buyback programs like " Flip Your Strip " program help incentivize people to replace thirsty grass with waterwise options. H.B. "They have actually expressed even wanting to get rid of their grass so I think its been a positive thing.". This Application collects some Personal Data from its Users. These plans are adaptable to any size park strip. Spencer J. Cox joined water officials from around the state to highlight current conservation efforts and outline measures needed to plan for Utahs water future. Communities within these districts service areas should work with their district to adopt qualifying landscape standards. deductible, Report a missed paper by emailingsubscribe@sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe@sltrib.com. The newly passed turf buy-back bill encourages people to replace their lawns with landscaping that uses less water. Against the backdrop of the Conservation Garden at Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District in West Jordan, Cox called for more action to reduce water consumption. In Jordan Valleys program, participation in the Flip Your Strip program is up 160% this year. Dozens of creative bills been introduced, including ones to increase turf buyback incentives and to appropriate money to require treated water systemslike for plumbing and drinking in rural areas to implement water metering.. House Majority Leader Mike Schultz (R) introduced a bill Feb. 16 that would appoint a Great Salt Lake commissioner to coordinate state efforts and create a . Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall issued a drought advisory in late March, looking ahead to what was predicted to be an unprecedented drought year. Water-saving strategies are showing some success in unique ways. We really want to use grass in places where it makes sense. "When a lot of these landscape ordinances were passed, the goal was wanting to keep the community vibrant and look well-maintained. LDS Church wants to light up a temple in a place that prides itself on dark skies, For husband-and-wife team, this new restaurant is the culmination of a decadeslong dream. The state passed a bill trying to change that. "It just cant be a dirt patch.". January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness month and cancer experts at Intermountain Health are working to educate women about cervical cancer, the tests that can warn women about potential cancer, and the importance of vaccination. All new state facilities in Utah may be required to have less than 20% turf. 350 North State, Suite 320 PO Box 145115 Salt Lake City, Utah 84114; Telephone: (801) 538-1408 https://senate.utah.gov; Contact a Senator The state of Utah has begun signing people up ahead of its launch of a "turf buyback" program, offering incentives for residents to get rid of grass they don't really use. Consider that 99% of Utah is in severe drought and 28 of Utahs largest 45 reservoirs are below 55% of available capacity. Last month, Ogden officials declared a moderate water shortage and providers of secondary water from Pineview warned of a potential early shutdown. The Jimenezes have already recorded some water savings. . But the bill also requires the state to take steps to conserve water. Governor warns water restrictions could come early with 90% of Utah in extreme drought, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall issued a drought advisory. Everybody thinks about grass and gardens, but there are a lot of other uses too, he said. Read all of our stories atgreatsaltlakenews.org. Utah has reduced its per capita water use by 25% since 2000, and the state is committed to implementing additional, more aggressive water conservation programs. We have seen significant water reductions in every water district across the state, Cox said, lauding the efforts of the public and water managers. Will horrific drought make lawns in the West a memory? Through state and district partnerships, eligible participants may receive up to $3 per square foot of lawn replaced with waterwise landscaping. Thats ambitious, but Cox may have his work cut out for him if he wants to implement it on a statewide level. This program would be for front yards, back yards or any other "non-functional" grass. Utahs water agencies are in the process of developing a comprehensive state water plan that builds on the previous version developed by the Division of Water Resources. Outdoor water use makes up about 60% of Utahs municipal and industrial water use. Spencer Cox speaks about water conservation during the current drought at the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District in West Jordan on Thursday, July 29, 2021. Metering all secondary water systems, continuing work with farmers and ranchers to reduce water consumption and starting a statewide turf buyback program are all steps Utah needs to take to be more waterwise, Gov. Cities will be added as landscape ordinances are updated to meet state requirements. Republican-led states and conservatives challenging the program say it amounts to an unlawful attempt to erase an estimated $430 billion of federal student loan debt under the guise of the pandemic. The state will pay for up to 50 percent of the cost. Try Skijoring in Bear Lake, Five Common Causes of Cervical Cancer and What You Can Do to Lower Your Risk, Get Ready for Fun at the 2023 Bear Lake Monster Winterfest, 5 Game Day Snacks for the Whole Family (with recipes! Dormant is still alive," Hasenyager said. 118 Water Efficient Landscaping Incentives, sponsored by Sen. Sandall, expands on the popular "turf buyback" program. Click here to sign in and see program availability. (Utah State Capitol. The division has partnered with the Central Utah, Jordan Valley, Washington County and Weber Basin Water Conservancy Districts to increase program awareness, increase funding and develop program requirements. To install SLC Turf Trade, you will have to kill your existing lawn. Gov. How Orrin Hatch protected people of faith. LocalScapes target a revamped landscaping design for residents with reward money being distributed based on lot size and water savings. It. First, the property must have living and maintained grass and intend to replace it with a drought-resistant type of landscaping. The driver leads the skiers through an obstacle course over jumps, hoops, and []. Yes, but it is your responsibility to clear the project with your HOA. With 100% of the state experiencing drought conditions, Gov. I have been really impressed driving around the city to see how many lawns are following the restrictions.. "We haven't gotten any rebates," Wilson said. Municipal water use makes up about 15% of all water use in Utah. Last month, Utah Gov. Under Flip Your Strip, $1 per square foot is offered or $1.25 per square foot if a free park strip class is attended. Roughly $100 million of that is already going toward implementing water meters on secondary water systems statewide. The HB 121 bill lists some preliminary eligibility requirements. As for now, there is no standardizaton of turf buyback in Utah, or anywhere else in the country. Riverdale in Weber County recently reported its aquifer had dropped 17 feet since May 1 and water conservation goals fell way short of what authorities had hoped. Cox discussed new policies his administration is hoping to push forward, like a buyback program for turf and secondary water metering. The passage of this legislation makes it the first ever statewide program of its kind. Governor Deidre Henderson ceremonially sign key water legislation at Jordanelle Reservoir in Wasatch County on Monday, April 18, 2022. Projects should remove all lawn from the park strip and replace it with water-efficient landscaping. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Program funding is available statewide. Theres not much more the state can do about the drought in the short term. Did the Utah Legislature do enough to save the Great Salt Lake? A water conservation bill currently in the Legislature would also require the state to reduce outdoor water use. Starting a turf buyback program According to the Governor's office, areas that have installed secondary meters include Spanish Fork, Saratoga Springs and Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, and they have seen a reduction in water use by about 20-30%. Deidre Henderson, Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Brian Steed, St. George Mayor Michele Randall, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District General Manager Bart Forsyth, Central Utah Water Conservancy District Water Conservation Manager Ricky Maloy and others attended the announcement at the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy Districts Conservation Garden in West Jordan. $19.00 - $20.00 hourly, 4 days ago Full time Trees will not be considered in density calculations. Governor Deidre Henderson, South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey, Central Utah Water conservation manager Rick Maloy and Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District general manager Bart Forsyth. "Instead of having a lot of grass, maybe only have 10% of your lawn be grass? ST. GEORGE, Utah Wilson and Kari Jimenez are thrilled with how their yard looks. "Theres going to be people that are going to have some pain points on this," Mayor Randall said. The Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District created a site that tracks rebates that can be offered. We have to work with the resources on the ground, he said, but noted the paradox of having drought drive home the need for more water storage with the reality of less water available for storage. Flip Your Strip involves removing lawn from your park strip and replacing it with water-efficient plants and a drip irrigation system. Utah is the fastest growing state in the nation, growing 18.4% over the past decade compared to the national average of 7.4%. 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