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 coming through the pipeline, and more.

3 ways we're working to preserve Great Salt Lake

Great Salt Lake is an indispensable natural resource. Here are a few ways the state of Utah is working to protect the lake and the wetlands that surround it.

Management of water is critical to safeguarding Great Salt Lake. In the past year, we’ve signed HB410, which creates a $40 million trust to increase water for Great Salt Lake and improve the lake’s upstream habitat; and HB429, which requires the Division of Water Resources to study and gather data about the five watersheds that feed the lake. Understanding more about the lake’s contributors will help us learn how to save it. Learn more about watershed management at water.utah.gov.

Utah is committed to using our existing water supply as wisely as possible and ensuring the success of our state. We’ve signed bills that create turf buy-back programs, require water conservation at state facilities, appropriate $200 million in grants for secondary water meters, require a water use and preservation element to be part of municipal or county general plans, and more. Learn more about statewide conservation efforts at conservewater.utah.gov.

Agricultural optimization means finding ways for farmers to survive periods of drought and increase production by stretching limited water resources. We've signed numerous bills to help these efficiency efforts — including HB423 — and support the Agricultural Water Optimization Task Force that works to identify issues and sustain Utah’s vital agriculture industry. We’ll also be allocating $70 million in grant money for agricultural optimization. Learn more about these efforts at water.utah.gov/agwateroptimization.

Expanding broadband access 

Expanding broadband access to rural Utah is critical to the success of our people and our state. Here's how we're working to achieve that:

Go Utah’s Utah Broadband Center is working with a legislative advisory committee to develop a five-year digital connectivity plan and to prepare a budget for the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment funds.

The Broadband Access Grant program, administered by Go Utah’s Broadband Center, is offsetting capital expenses by deploying “last-mile broadband” in unserved rural and underserved economically distressed areas.

We're also prioritizing remote work. Since we took office, this administration has expanded the possibility of working remotely to more state employees and shifted more than 200 state jobs to rural areas of the state.

We’ve visited with Utahns across the state who say broadband infrastructure is changing the nature of their business for the better. They're reaching new markets. They can recruit and retain quality employees. And they can find new educational opportunities for their children.

We’re so excited about the future expanded broadband access will bring to Utah's rural communities. A sincere thank you to all those who have helped in this effort!

Monthly News Conference 

In this month’s news conference, hosted by PBS Utah, we answered several questions ranging from gas prices to renewable energy and more. Here’s a sampling:

Q: How is Utah positioned to handle a backslide in the economy?
A: The data show that Utah is better situated than any state to handle any type of recession, both from the way that we manage our public finances as well as the diversification of our economy. We have one of the most diverse economies and one of the lowest unemployment rates — and that works in our favor.

Q: Is the Biden administration blocking oil and gas lease sales in Utah?
A: Yes, this was a clear pillar in President Biden’s campaign. He and some in the environmental movement wanted to raise the price of gas to destroy demand. There was no secret about this. Of course there are other factors now, including what’s happening in Ukraine. But it’s concerning that the message we’re putting out is to not invest in this area. We are interested in future production. We should be producing oil and gas — not exporting production to Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Q: What do we think about Utah becoming home to the world’s largest hydrogen storage facility? 
A: We’re excited and ready for this next step toward ensuring Utah’s and the nation’s energy future is secure, innovative, and reliable. It’s a great project. We’re also partnering with three other states on a hydrogen hub project — it’s a bipartisan, red-state-blue-state, effort to invest in new technologies.

You can watch the entire news conference here. Be sure to tune in for our next one on our website and on Facebook!

A new state holiday

This year, we’re excited to invite Utahns to join together in celebrating a newly designated statewide holiday: Juneteenth. 

For more than 150 years, June 19 has been observed to mark the day when Black communities in Texas first learned the Civil War had ended. Annual celebrations starting in the 1800s have commemorated this day, which has been designated as America’s “Second Independence Day” by the national Juneteenth Foundation. 

Rep. Sandra Hollins and Sen. Jacob L. Anderegg sponsored a bill during the 2022 legislative session, designating June 19 as National Freedom Day as a way to remember and honor a monumental chapter in our history. We were thrilled to sign this into law.

Join us tomorrow at the annual Juneteenth celebration in Ogden. We’ll officially observe this year’s holiday on Monday, June 20. 

Strengthening economic ties

It’s been a great week for business in Utah. Team Utah spent two days in San Francisco meeting with Denali Therapeutics, Salesforce, a16z, eBay, Supermicro, Turo, and QuantumScape to establish and strengthen economic ties.

Then the Utah Department of Commerce announced a reduction in fees for certain business filings and investor industry licensing. Fee reductions amount to an estimated savings of $5.2 million dollars to business owners and investment professionals. We’re proud of this intentional step toward making business ventures more accessible to Utahns.

Keep an eye out for the Department of Commerce’s next venture, as well: They’ll be opening the Office of Professional Licensing Review next month to ensure all requirements are reasonable and relevant. This is another critical step to reducing barriers for Utah businesses and workers.

Finally, Go Utah recently announced the State Small Business Credit Initiative, a new federal program that expands access to capital, develops opportunities in underserved communities, creates new jobs, and increases economic opportunity in Utah.

We’re proud of all the work being done to make Utah the number one place to start or own a business, and we’ll keep working hard to maintain that status.

A discussion about America’s future

Join us on Thursday, June 30, at 6:30 p.m. for a discussion with authors Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns about their book, “This Will Not Pass.”

These New York Times reporters show how both of our political parties confronted a series of national traumas, including the coronavirus pandemic, the January 6 attack on the Capitol, and the political brinksmanship of President Biden’s first year in the White House.

Join us for this free event at the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah.

Show Up for Summer Service 

We’d also love for you to join Utah First Lady Abby Cox at the Show Up for Summer Service kickoff event on Friday, June 24! Connect with local nonprofits to find the perfect service opportunity for you and your family or friends to do this summer. 

After scoping the service booths, enjoy the food trucks, lawn games, and bounce houses with your family and friends. Or bring a blanket or camp chairs and enjoy the amazing concert later in the evening. And be sure not to miss the epic giveaways that will be happening all night long. See you there! 

10 years of MCA

Congratulations to the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs on reaching 10 years of service as a state organization! 

For the past decade, Multicultural Affairs has prioritized collaborating across state agencies and departments to strengthen relationships with diverse communities and help close service gaps for those who are marginalized and underserved. We all look forward to another decade that builds on the division’s mission to create an inclusive Utah by continuing to get proximate, cultivating relationships across differences, and seeking to achieve meaningful outcomes for all Utahns, not just now, but for generations to come.

Capitol Groundbreaking

This week we started the ceremonial demolition and groundbreaking of the new North Capitol Building. Opened in 1960, the North Capitol Building served the public well for decades, but over the years its effectiveness declined and eventually no longer provided state agencies what they needed to serve the public effectively. .

This new building is part of a 105-page master plan that was adopted in 2009 which includes guidance on architecture and symbolism that will align with the Capitol's history and style. It makes sense from a financial, customer-service-oriented, and a public service perspective in that it will literally house our history with the new Museum of Utah.

We're grateful to Dana Jones and the entire Capitol Preservation staff and board for their meticulous work in bringing this vision to fruition — and for the leadership of President Adams, Speaker Wilson, Lt. Gov. Henderson, and the Legislature for their help. Read more here.

Honoring Utah artists

We were delighted to honor the following artists at the 2022 Governor’s Mansion Artist Awards this week:

Clytie Adams, founder of the Clytie Adams School of Ballet;

Paige Crosland Anderson, abstract artist;

Dr. Richard Elliott, the principal organist at the Tabernacle on Temple Square;

Marcia Price, a champion of the local arts community;

Paisley Rekdal, current Poet Laureate of Utah;

Leroy Transfield, sculptor; and

Carrie Trenholm, fused glass visual artist.

We loved celebrating their achievements and appreciate their impact on the arts and on their local communities. Read more, and see photos from the event, here.

Supporting local: Sara Thai

We love supporting Utah’s local businesses — especially when it comes to food. Last week we stopped by Sara Thai in Salt Lake City, and it was delicious. After 40 years of experience as an executive chef at high-end restaurants in Las Vegas and New York, Chef Ning and wife Sara have brought their experience to Utah. It’s great to see small businesses thriving.

Let us know what your favorite local restaurant is here!

ICYMI

This week we welcomed 105 new American citizens — from 40 countries — whose resilience, grit and pioneering spirit enrich our state and nation. We’re so grateful and honored they chose Utah to plant their roots and bloom. Congratulations! 

Utahns have stepped up to welcome refugees, and we're happy to report that we have housing for all 900 refugees from Afghanistan. We're continuing to work with local and federal agencies to help Ukrainian refugees. If you'd like to help, please reach out to Catholic Community Services or the International Rescue Committee.

Our DPS Aero Bureau has one of the most talented hoist crews in the world and this week they ended up rescuing 19 people in total from a narrow Utah slot canyon this week. The drop point was only 3-feet-by-5-feet — an incredibly technical hoist — and they had to do it 19 times. So proud of these heroes.

We answered lots of constituent questions this week on KSL NewsRadio’s live call-in show, “Let Me Speak to the Governor.” Listen here! 

The Utah Film Commission announced the Go Utah Board approval of 13 new productions for post-performance state film incentives, generating an estimated economic impact of $142.5 million, with approximately 90% going to rural Utah. The productions are a mix of feature films and episodic series that will be distributed on various platforms. All approved projects plan to begin production this summer, and filming locations are still being finalized.

Coming up

June 17 and 18: Utah Refugee Services is hosting a World Refugee Day celebration on June 17th, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Big Cottonwood Park. There will be food trucks, activities for kids, and a global market. More information at jobs.utah.gov/refugee.

June 19: Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there! 

June 20: This is the first year Utah will be recognizing Juneteenth as a state holiday!

June 24: Join Utah First Lady Abby Cox at the Show Up for Summer Service kickoff event from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.! Connect with local nonprofits to find the perfect service opportunity for you and your family or friends to do this summer. 

June 30: Join us for a lively discussion with authors Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns about their forthcoming book, “This Will Not Pass.” This free event will be held at the Hinckley Institute of Politics at 6:30 p.m. No registration required.

June 30: This is the last day to apply for a Utah Manufacturing Modernization Grant! This grant supports Utah businesses to modernize, establish, relocate, retain, or develop manufacturing in the state. The Legislature created the grant program to modernize Utah companies’ manufacturing, increase supply chain resilience, and lessen American dependence on foreign manufacturing.

July 12: All Utah educators are invited to attend Show Up Utah’s free conference focused on professional and personal wellness. Learn more here.

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!

You can reach the Governor's Office here. And you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for the latest news and updates.

Contact the Governor's Office