John Hansen: “H.R. 3830 represents a landmark agreement between the State of Utah and the Department of the Interior to exchange…”

“H.R. 3830 represents a landmark agreement between the State of Utah and the Department of the Interior to exchange nearly 500,000 acres of lands within the State of Utah to benefit the school children of Utah. Over 20 years ago, while serving in the Utah State Legislature and as Speaker of the House, I worked closely with then Governor Scott Matheson to solve the problem of the disbursed school trust lands in Utah and the best way to live up to the mandate of generating revenues for the school children of Utah. Governor Matheson came up with Project Bold, wherein we would block up school trust lands in exchanges with the Federal Government. This seemed like a somewhat radical idea at the time but Governor Matheson actually had foresight that brought us here today. Finally, during the 103rd Congress we were able to pass Public Law 103-93 that was designed to exchange these lands out of parks and national forests. However, difficulties with placing a value on these isolated tracts became impossible. Then in September of 1996 President Clinton signed the proclamation that locked up the largest and cleanest supply of coal left in the Nation when he created the new Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.”