[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6061227,"mediaKeyId","3285349-d25d5be553bfa5e3b27eebcde3378245","parentId",3285349,"title","Utah launches National Federalism Initiative; UVU to run training, host summit","audioSeconds",405,"startMs",2355000,"endMs",2760000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3285349-d25d5be553bfa5e3b27eebcde3378245&start=2355&end=2760","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3285349-d25d5be553bfa5e3b27eebcde3378245/thumbnail_2355000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6061227/Utah/Utah-launches-National-Federalism-Initiative-UVU-to-run-training-host-summit","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6061227-ab01b611f9b131b8981ef4a606a74a11/orig.mp4?Expires=1771128020&Signature=ORjyjLzoBrPjbClAFdOtuLkVJ4yFW7KIYQcA4QLPS3~e1ldGZjprR8pBpfVY4xf-1poxeacI9TQEYXSEYadk7CwDKcMju9kgaLm7Dys6sLyI2zRRnLz3GtFOGOzdxSuL~5x7e9UngEQA~UNbCtar7LXHovOr1g8ly6y3foXkPFURZQvD3eTZaM8ElKauotZ-pOEeHT86ezcG01y2Vh2GJtLRV8vyHwFb2jP2dUZawTxSPlg53GLW1ZgQcb3UKMwjIEMhWzwOEh9cyn7W8laAvQWXgEk2RuMoVAtEIPFWHeXkCxRURtbDTTT-flGUsZUAZxmlavObWDs2BOmQeKCbfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Utah Legislature","date","2025-05-13T00:00:00Z","article","The Utah Commission on Federalism on May 13 outlined steps to implement House Bill 488, the statute that establishes what members called the National Federalism Initiative and assigns duties to the Center for Constitutional Studies and the Herbert Institute at Utah Valley University (UVU).

The commission’s chair, House Representative Ken Ivory, said the initiative’s purpose is to “restore structure” in federal–state relations and to build a durable, apolitical infrastructure so states have clearer roles \"where decisions should be made versus what a particular decision should be.\" He told the commission the effort will focus on structure rather than partisan outcomes.

The commission described three pillars for HB 488 implementation: continuing education for state agency officials, an interstate summit to build collaboration and an effort to reconstitute a national federalism organization. Matthew Brogdon, senior director of the Center for Constitutional Studies at UVU, said the center will help create curriculum and host the summit. Troy Smith, director of the Federalism Initiative at the Center for Constitutional Studies, said the center has been asked to \"organize an annual conference for state representatives and leaders\" and to study models for an interstate commission.

Justin Jones, director of the Herbert Institute of Public Policy at UVU, said the university advanced one-time funds to hire staff and cover summit costs while state funds are scheduled to begin on July 1. Jones said Herbert has hired two interns to support the commission’s implementation work and that the institute will coordinate outreach to agencies and other partners.

The commission said the summit will invite roughly 50 state legislators and executive leaders from both parties, and that Governor Spencer Cox has agreed to participate in a keynote panel. Troy Smith said the summit is scheduled for September 25–26 in Salt Lake City and will include scholars drawn from the federalism field. The summit will also solicit delegate input on whether to form a national, state‑led federalism organization and how it should operate.

Commission members emphasized outreach to a broad set of states and organizations. Representative Jill Covert and other legislators asked that UVU and the commission coordinate with national intergovernmental organizations, state policy networks and groups such as the Utah Association of Counties to avoid duplicating effort and to attract balanced delegations.

Gus Harb, legal counsel for the commission, reviewed the commission’s statutory duties and pointed members to the commission materials and the statutory criteria used to evaluate federal laws. He noted HB 488 also tasks the Center for Constitutional Studies and the Herbert Institute with developing education programs and organizing the annual conference.

Several federal delegation staff members attended and described policy topics their offices are watching — including the Antiquities Act and efforts to curtail executive-branch rulemaking — but they also told the commission they want to support Utah’s outreach. Justin Anthony, who spoke for Senator Mike Lee, highlighted land-management issues and called for statutory reforms to reduce swings caused by changes in presidential administrations.

The commission asked voting and nonvoting members to populate a shared contact list of state counterparts so UVU and commission staff can invite appropriate delegations to the September summit. Representative Thompson said the commission will distribute a Google form asking members to provide names of potential delegates and partners.

Next steps outlined by the commission include (1) a series of continuing-education sessions with state agencies starting in the coming weeks, (2) preparation of case studies and summit materials before September and (3) a report-back and further planning at the commission’s June meeting. No new legislative votes were taken at this meeting beyond routine approvals of minutes.

The commission and UVU officials said they will provide written materials and a one‑page summary of the National Federalism Initiative to members ahead of the next meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Federalism Commission - May 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Utah Commission on Federalism on May 13 outlined steps to implement House Bill 488, directing Utah Valley University’s Center for Constitutional Studies and the Herbert Institute to lead continuing education for state agencies, host an interstate summit and pursue a national federalism body.","taxTitle","2025 Utah Legislature, Utah Legislature, Utah Legislative Branch, Utah","taxId",78171,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6061217,"Federal‑land jurisdiction study update: commission says ownership not same as governing jurisdiction",1357,2092000,3449000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3285349-d25d5be553bfa5e3b27eebcde3378245&start=2092&end=3449","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3285349-d25d5be553bfa5e3b27eebcde3378245/thumbnail_2092000.jpg","/articles/6061217/Utah/Federalland-jurisdiction-study-update-commission-says-ownership-not-same-as-governing-jurisdiction","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6061217-76e022913abd35c3751147cfcc4101da/orig.mp4?Expires=1771128020&Signature=bmrG~CD0uHWj~B~r4~7E9m0lPUg7ioZhv6Ob7BNZyFGcjOMZBsNBk2ONlRC9SJ3yhGjIEomhEOEMMrX-eZg2es-Hr~MhD~bFwz6pjVZ5vDaS5sww2ZMK1Xf9QCTMn3QjYSx0pCypd8kczlZKmz8s2yDU4ND~5eXcUtYqx1Z9WKu9ibZh7Uk3dovpVJ~-6I259ctd~5yOGSIPx5uFSkGAXiTd7Ow7iQT66G3qJErLLWzyGalCp6sJ6dSASh4BuG1C2ZF-49R1igEjAuA8wewAwZLTAiS0~07DNPF8xJVoKhkDzzzpH3kW5DO8Pb-DwntcfMok0xd04a6YX2wItRYf8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Utah Commission on Federalism told members on May 13 that it commissioned and received an update to a long‑standing legal inventory about federal land and jurisdiction, and that the updated analysis will be presented at the commission’s June meeting.

Gus Harb, legal counsel for the commission, said the state had commissioned an updated study that follows an Eisenhower‑era inventory and a 1962 General Services Administration report. Harb said the updated report examines where the federal government’s land ownership does and does not equate to governing jurisdiction.

\"The upshot of the study is that while the federal government may own land within a state most for the most part, it is not the governing jurisdiction,\" Harb said. He told the commission the lead attorney who completed the update could not attend the May meeting for medical reasons but will appear in June to present the full report and provide copies to members.

Commission members asked for wide distribution of the updated study once it is finalized. Senator Kevin Stratton and others said the updated inventory and legal analysis will be important background for the National Federalism Initiative and for state strategies involving public lands and intergovernmental disputes.

The commission noted that the report is part of a broader effort to identify legal lines of authority that the commission and its UVU partners will use when developing training and interstate materials under HB 488.","Commission members said an updated legal study finds federal ownership of land within a state does not automatically confer governing jurisdiction. The commission plans a report at its June meeting and will distribute the study.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6061222,"Utah DEQ seeks greater state control of environmental rules; EPA engagement ongoing",351,6669000,7020000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3285349-d25d5be553bfa5e3b27eebcde3378245&start=6669&end=7020","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3285349-d25d5be553bfa5e3b27eebcde3378245/thumbnail_6669000.jpg","/articles/6061222/Utah/Utah-DEQ-seeks-greater-state-control-of-environmental-rules-EPA-engagement-ongoing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6061222-65dc443fe3f9bf04438c728a7933e1f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771128020&Signature=kquazPVRKxXXrjfGyUNKs6-6qDQT7z1tCrYdpWF7x78-~16qfi7bxw0FRRoKPf3~ne0tFEzTiMD-paPb1-bMpj1KSqwb6LB1zy2VLKfLgEERx9ey6hxLaExLiR0qbpbRQOSjwATAz5HaFAdeLuuYVXGXCK8V52w8zDwoRpjOE5QNX~LADjFJVZyT1XPwhpCvjHy39chr21blVZMXeUMQDfQKBb7DsMYV1We8l~HBkg2upa6VKPQMXxZeMFFPehoh~ZqyR92s1f183Y9jei4U-W7Be1dL3ZtlZC5C7iHDKlv-vwlCFGYsx0C0DBhGTyc6QL87USJyvH63bujaaNuO8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tim Davis, director of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, told the Commission on Federalism on May 13 that he is actively engaging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reconsider several federal decisions and to explore opportunities for Utah to assume greater regulatory responsibility.

Davis said he has met three times with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and with EPA Region 8 leadership. \"If we can bring authority to Utah, and we can do it in a way that protects and improves our air, land, and water while supporting growth in our communities, and we can show that we can do it, then ideally, we can lessen that pendulum,\" Davis said, describing how federal actions can change across administrations.

Davis identified areas under active discussion with EPA, including reconsideration of certain nonattainment designations and regional haze determinations, air-quality transport rules, and faster paths for cleanup of contaminated lands. He also said DEQ will host a listening session about revisions to the Waters of the U.S. definition following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Sackett decision. The session is scheduled for May 29 at the DEQ headquarters.

The director described a state role in facilitating nuclear development, saying the state has hosted a recent nuclear summit and is exploring how to advance nuclear projects \"on time, and safe\" without the cost overruns seen in other states.

Davis told the commission he has proposed that Utah act as a regulatory “test kitchen” to demonstrate state-led approaches that preserve environmental protection while offering regulatory certainty to businesses.

Commission members asked DEQ to continue coordinating with federal delegation staff and the commission on specific proposals and legal strategies, including avenues opened by recent federal court decisions and administrative rules. Representative Casey Snyder asked whether DEQ would revisit earlier agency studies related to Chevron deference and other legal issues; Davis said DEQ is already working on several such inquiries and that the administration has asked states to present requests promptly to avoid end-of-administration timing constraints.

Davis did not recommend any immediate rule changes at the meeting; he framed DEQ’s work as active engagement and preparation to assume or expand state roles where legally permitted and administratively feasible.","Department of Environmental Quality director Tim Davis told the Commission on Federalism he has met repeatedly with EPA officials and is pursuing authority transfers and reconsiderations of recent federal air and water rules. DEQ plans to host a public listening session on WOTUS and explore state-led approaches to cleanup, nuclear and air issues.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Utah launches National Federalism Initiative; UVU to run training, host summit

Federal‑land jurisdiction study update: commission says ownership not same as governing jurisdiction

Utah DEQ seeks greater state control of environmental rules; EPA engagement ongoing