Happy Friday from #OneUtah, a weekly update from the office of Gov. Spencer J. Cox. Here’s your recap of what we did this week, what's on the horizon, and more.

Using good Fire Sense 

We joined State Fire Marshal Jamie Barnes, new Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Joel Ferry and Tooele County Fire Warden Dan Walton at the site of the Jacob City Fire on Monday. Hot and dry conditions mean fire danger remains high. Sadly, all but three of the 25 fires that burned last weekend were human-caused — meaning most were preventable.

We need every single Utahn to act responsibly when it comes to fire prevention. And we can do this. Last year, Utahns used good Fire Sense and cut human-caused wildfires by 51% — that’s more than 500 fires that never started. So we are asking all Utahns to be diligent and help prevent human-caused wildfires.

These fires strain state and local resources as well as endanger lives and property. Please, play it smart. And please join us in thanking our firefighters and first responders by using good Fire Sense. Together we can prevent wildfires and keep Utah safe.

Big news for Utah energy

We’re very excited that the U.S. Forest Service has signed the Record of Decision authorizing the Uinta Basin Railway. This is great news for our state and a huge milestone. 

This railway will get our energy to market faster, more cleanly, more safely, and will help the economies of eastern Utah. We’re grateful for everyone who helped make this happen, and to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for helping to move the process along.

Collaborating with our fellow governors

This past week we were happy to attend the National Governors Association’s summer meeting. We all convened in Maine and discussed bipartisan solutions for some of the nation’s pressing priorities impacting our states and country, including the economic recovery, education and workforce development.

We were also honored to be elected to serve as NGA vice chair! We’ll be serving alongside New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who was elected as chair. This is a unique opportunity to work across party lines on Gov. Murphy’s initiative to strengthen youth mental health and other important policies. We look forward to representing Utahns in this new capacity.

Showing Up for Teachers

Utah teachers are among the finest in the nation, but four of 10 leave the profession within five years. With the current shortage of teachers, this must change. 

We’re proud of the work that Show Up Utah is doing to improve educator wellness, and we were honored to speak at the first ever Show Up for Teachers Conference.

Thank you to our teachers for making a difference, to First Lady Abby and Show Up Utah for shining a light on teacher wellness, and to all those supporting these efforts.

Addressing drought in the West 

Because the drought continues and reliable, clean water is essential to our quality of life and continued prosperity, we’re continuing to share ways in which the state is working to conserve water and plan for a drier future. This week, we’re talking about incentivizing conservation.

Around 60% of residential water use is for outdoor watering, so Utah is eliminating non-functional grass from landscapes throughout the state. In the 2022 session, legislators passed one of the nation’s first statewide grass rebate programs and allocated $5 million in funding. If you’re interested in one of the many available rebates, visit UtahWaterSavers.com. 

Legislators also passed limits on grass allowances on new and remodeled state facilities, and cities in southern Utah have banned grass in new commercial, institutional, and industrial developments — unless there is a functional purpose.

Programs like Slow The Flow and H2Oath exist to help educate residents and businesses on how they conserve by reducing waterings, eliminating grass, and more. We are taking actions today, and will take more actions in the future, to reduce our outdoor water use.

Read more about our efforts to conserve water here.

Showing our appreciation for child care workers

This week Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson met with child care workers to announce a one-time $2,000 bonus for eligible child care employees across the state. 

We saw incredible dedication from those working in child care throughout the pandemic. The work they do for our state is invaluable, and they deserve all of our thanks and support.

More than 12,000 individuals — including child care workers, employees, staff, directors, and owners — are expected to be eligible for the one-time bonus. On July 19, anyone who has a Care About Child Care account will be sent the bonus application to fill out and submit. Applications are due Aug. 31, 2022. 

Find more information here!

Ensuring relevant and reliable licensing 

The Utah Department of Commerce has officially opened the Office of Professional Licensure Review! This new government office, led by renowned public policy expert Jeff Shumway, will take on the task of reviewing professional licensure requirements for all state-issued professional licenses with the goal of reducing unnecessary barriers for Utahns entering the professional workforce.

One of our first actions as governor was to look at ways to reduce unnecessary red tape for Utah workers. We’re glad the Legislature shares the vision that ongoing, systematic review of licensing requirements is essential to the functioning of our workforce. 

Read more about these efforts in Department of Commerce executive director Margaret Busse’s recent op-ed for The Salt Lake Tribune.

Rural matters: Lt. Gov. Henderson visits Sanpete County

Lt. Gov. Henderson visited my hometown yesterday to meet with local business, government and community leaders.

The day started in Ephraim at Snow College and ended in Centerfield at South Sanpete Pack, a meat packer and processor. The countywide tour included a visit to the Department of Workforce Services Manti Employment Center with executive director Casey Cameron and her team and stops to meet with the county clerk, local mayors, and legislators.

From seventh-generation farmers to high-tech manufacturing facilities and salt mines, Sanpete County stands as a testament to rural potential and economic value in Utah.

Spotlighting Utah’s ‘Spirit of Service’

In our inaugural Governor’s Spirit of Service Award Ceremony, we recently recognized the outstanding service that Utahns are doing throughout the state. Each week, we’ll highlight one of these unsung heroes. This week, we’re highlighting The Little Lambs Foundation for Kids.

Little Lambs provides comfort kits for children placed into foster care, emergency shelters, and escaping domestic violence. Northern Utah’s only direct service diaper bank has distributed over 1.75 million diapers to Utah families.

Learn more about them and the other honorees here.

ICYMI

Visiting southern Utah this weekend? Stay alert and be prepared for flash flooding. You can always find information about flash flood watches and warnings at weather.gov/slc/flashflood.

Lt. Gov. Henderson attended a post-election audit in Cache County on Monday. At the audit, she met Craig Watts and Fred Rigby, two Cache County residents who wanted to learn more about elections, got involved, and came away saying, “We’re not just encouraged, we’re all thumbs up.” Read the Herald Journal story here.

During the last few years, there have been several instances when visitors to Antelope Island State Park were charged by a bison. While these incidents are quite rare, people should still be aware of what to do if they happen to encounter a bison. Learn more here.

Lt. Gov. Henderson joined the Six County Association of Governments and Five County Association of Governments for an off-road side-by-side tour in Juab County. The convoy of legislators, commissioners, and rural leaders talked about rural needs and solutions. Learn more about the trip here.

ABC 4 interviewed two of the state’s exceptional Return Utah participants! Learn more about their experience here.

Coming up

July 17: Lt. Gov. Henderson will land in London ahead of a weeklong trade mission.

July 19: First Lady Abby and I will be on horseback for the annual Days of ‘47 cattle drive through Salt Lake City. 

July 22: We’ll be honoring Green Flake, Hark Wales, Oscar Smith and Jane Manning James for the role African-American pioneers played in the journey west and in settling the Salt Lake Valley. Join us at This Is the Place State Park.

July 24: It’s time for the Days of ‘47! This celebration of Utah’s western and pioneer heritage is one of our state's longest-standing traditions, and we are thrilled to be a part of it. The official state holiday is Monday, July 25.

July 26 to July 28: We’ll be at the Western Governors Association summer meeting in Idaho! We look forward to discussing solutions to drought, wildfires, and more.

Get involved!

Looking for a new job opportunity? From great employee benefits to versatile work schedules, the career opportunities with the state are truly endless. Join Team Utah today! 

Those looking to volunteer can also consider more than 300 boards and commissions. Find out which openings are available and how you can get involved here!

Get in touch!

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Contact the Governor's Office