Outdoor Recreation Mitigation Grants

Utah Code tit. 79, ch. 79-9, pt. 79-9-P2

in effect

Utah Code § 79-9-201 Outdoor recreation mitigation grant criteria -- Priorities -- Application -- Prohibition on awards.

79-9-201. Outdoor recreation mitigation grant criteria -- Priorities -- Application -- Prohibition on awards. (1) The division may, within available funding, award an outdoor recreation mitigation grant as described in this section. (2) In the event the division receives grant applications in excess of funding available to make grants, the division shall: (a) prioritize applications for grant funding for visitor-related emergency costs over applications for grant funding for visitor-related safety costs; (b) within applications for grant funding to relieve visitor-related emergency costs, prioritize applications for grant funding to support search and rescue efforts or emergency medical services over applications for grant funding to support road repair; and (c) prioritize an application for grant funding from an eligible county with a smaller population over an application for grant funding from an eligible county with a larger population. (3) After making the priority determinations described in Subsection (2), the division may prioritize available grant funding based on need, in terms of: (a) the amount of outdoor recreation or tourism taking place within the eligible county; (b) the existing capacity of an eligible county to manage search and rescue efforts or emergency medical services without additional financial assistance; (c) the existing capacity of an eligible county to engage in road repair and maintenance without additional financial assistance; and (d) the existing capacity of an eligible county to manage tourism-related safety costs without additional financial assistance. (4) The division may, in the division's discretion and in accordance with this part and any rules made pursuant to Subsection 79-9-102(3), fulfill an eligible county's application for grant funding in whole or in part. (5) In implementing a competitive grant-making program described in this section, the division shall: (a) create an application for eligible counties to apply for grant funding; and (b) require an eligible county applying for grant funding to: (i) use the application created by the division; (ii) include information the division requires in an application; and (iii) apply by a deadline established by the division. (6) If an eligible county intends to share some or all grant funding awarded to the eligible county under this section with a special district in the eligible county, the eligible county shall provide that information in the eligible county's application for grant funding. (7) Beginning January 1, 2028, an eligible county may not receive grant funding described in this chapter if the state auditor notifies the division, as authorized in Section 17E-2-403, that the eligible county is not in compliance with Section 17-63-603. Amended by Chapter 17, 2025 Special Session 1

Utah Code § 79-9-202 Determining need of eligible counties.

79-9-202. Determining need of eligible counties. (1) The division shall annually determine the relative needs of eligible counties for financial assistance to support visitor-related emergency costs in eligible counties, specifically taking into account the rolling five-year average of past visitor-related emergency costs within each eligible county, based on available data. (2) The division may request assistance from the state auditor and the Utah Office of Tourism in making the determination described in Subsection (1). Enacted by Chapter 270, 2025 General Session

Utah Code § 79-9-203 Use of outdoor recreation mitigation grant funding.

79-9-203. Use of outdoor recreation mitigation grant funding. (1) An eligible county that receives grant funding under Section 79-9-201: (a) shall use grant funding: (i) to pay for any present or ongoing visitor-related emergency costs or visitor-related safety costs; (ii) to reimburse a provider of search and rescue efforts or emergency medical services for any past, unpaid services within the eligible county; (iii) to support the activities of a special district providing search and rescue efforts, emergency medical services, solid waste disposal, or road repair; (iv) as proposed in the eligible county's or eligible special district's application for grant funding; (b) shall report to the division on the expenditures made with the grant funding by December 31 of each year in which grant funding is received or is unexpended; (c) may not use grant funding to: (i) supplant existing funds; or (ii) purchase real property or make payments toward the ownership or leasing of real property. (2) If a grantee does not expend or encumber the funding within 18 months of the day on which the funding was received by the grantee due to a lack of need within the eligible county, the grantee: (a) shall inform the division regarding the remaining grant funding; (b) may retain the remaining grant funding until fully expended unless required by the division to return the remaining grant funding to the division; and (c) may not apply for a new outdoor recreation mitigation grant until the grant funding is fully expended or returned. (3) Upon receipt of unexpended outdoor recreation mitigation grant funding from a grantee, the division shall deposit the unexpended grant funding into the Outdoor Recreation Mitigation Grant Fund created in Section 79-9-103. Enacted by Chapter 270, 2025 General Session

Source: Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (le.utah.gov)URL: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title79/Chapter9/79-9-P2.html?v=C79-9-P2_2025070120250507Fetched: 10/26/2026