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.

Honoring our fallen heroes

On Memorial Day, we honor those who marched, flew, and sailed in defense of our nation, never to see their loved ones again. Since WWI, nearly 3,000 Utahns have paid that price and on Memorial Day, we gathered with their families and loved ones to show that we will never forget. 

As President Lincoln said less than five years before the first Memorial Day on the battlefield at Gettysburg, “… we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate — we cannot hallow — this ground. The brave men living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” 

We thank Sen. Mitt Romney, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, other elected officials and hundreds of Utahns who joined us in the Capitol Rotunda to mark this sacred day.

Kicking off the summer market season

We’re so excited that the Downtown Farmers Market is fully back after a pandemic hiatus! We’re also excited to celebrate the Liberty Park Market and farmers markets around the state. 

We know first-hand how important agriculture and livestock is to our community and our local economies. Farmers markets like this one are not only important for small businesses, but also help bring the community together.

Welcome back, Downtown Farmers Market, and congratulations on 31 years of nurturing and creating small businesses.

Celebrating the Utah Peace Officers Association

We were so happy to celebrate 100 years of service to law enforcement professionals — as well as to the citizens of Utah — with the Utah Peace Officers Association.

The UPOA develops and promotes the highest standards of professionalism for law enforcement in Utah, and we see UPOA’s commitment to professionalism every day. 

The demands on our law enforcement professionals are higher than ever, but these professionals remain dedicated to serving and protecting their fellow Utahns. 

On behalf of all Utahns, we thank you.

Working together for inclusion and understanding

In Utah, we strive to sustain a culture of hope, love, understanding, and respect by celebrating our common humanity.

This Pride Month, let us all work to be more inclusive and accepting of the LGBTQ+ members of our community.

Paying a visit to the DMV

Thank you to Utah’s Department of Public Safety and Utah’s Division of Motor Vehicles for helping a busy governor renew his driver’s license! It was great to visit with Utahns doing the same as well as the dedicated state employees who provide these important services. 

We appreciate all of your hard work to help keep Utahns safe.

Increasing formula availability

We’re still working on the formula crisis, which demands immediate, decisive, and robust action.

While we work with suppliers to increase the distribution to the state, we also joined 18 other governors in calling on President Biden to take action that increases formula availability while also addressing underlying regulatory barriers. Read the letter here.

Speaking out against federal overreach

On March 21, 2022, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission proposed a rule that would compel publicly traded companies to make detailed disclosures about climate-change risks and greenhouse gas emissions, sometimes known as ESG claims. 

We and other governors across the country are deeply concerned that this proposed rule veers far outside the SEC’s authority as a federal agency. The rule would also harm businesses and investors by increasing compliance costs and by embellishing disclosure statements with uncertain and immaterial information. 

In a letter to President Joe Biden, which you can read here, we strongly urge the president to withdraw the proposed rule and allow the market to judge climate risk, as it does for other types of market risks.

Be Ready Utah

Do you know what to do in the case of a wildfire? How about a flood, avalanche, or earthquake? Be Ready Utah is a program that aims to help all Utah residents become better prepared to respond to and recover from disasters. This program offers training resources for families, schools, businesses, and communities that make emergency preparedness simple and effective. Visit beready.utah.gov for more information.

Helping native wildlife species in Utah

Since 2001, the DWR and other partners have helped prevent 20 wildlife species from being listed as endangered and threatened through conservation efforts guided by the Utah Wildlife Action Plan. Through efforts like the Endangered Species Mitigation Fund and the Utah Wildlife Action Plan, DWR is able to allocate funds for proactive conservation efforts and projects that help prevent additional species from being listed under the Endangered Species Act.

Looking to get involved? There are several ways you help Utah’s species of greatest conservation need.

Take good photos of any native species you may see throughout Utah.

Include the GPS coordinates of where you saw the species.

Upload that information to community science websites and apps like iNaturalist and eBird.

Join a community science program to help conduct wildlife surveys with conservation organizations like Utah’s Hogle Zoo or Sageland Collaborative. 

Visit www.wildlife.utah.gov for more information.

ICYMI

Remember: We're still in drought, even after the much needed rain this week. Keep using the weekly watering guide to keep your lawn healthy while also conserving water!

We recently joined Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez in signing a federal reserved water rights settlement agreement in Monument Valley. This will bring drinking water infrastructure to the Navajo Nation and water certainty for Utah, the fastest growing state in the country. Read more here.

Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources inspected nearly 4,500 boats over Memorial Day weekend! Learn more about the state’s inspection and decontamination efforts to prevent the spread of invasive quagga mussels here.

We’ve reappointed John Valentine to serve as chair of the Utah State Tax Commission and commissioner of revenue. Read more here.

We’ve also named Abby Osborne to the Inland Port Authority Board. She cares deeply about economic growth and transportation issues, and we’re so grateful she is willing to bring these insights and serve the people of Utah in this new capacity.

Coming up

June 6: We’ll be at the Governors Education Symposium learning about core education issues from nationally recognized experts.

June 9: We’ll present the second annual State of Utah Servicemember of the Year awards. These awards recognize the outstanding performers from each of the major military entities in the state representing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Force, from active duty, guard, and reserve organizations from across the state.

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