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This is the June 8 - June 21, 1996 update.


June 21, 1996
Contact Vicki Varela, 538-1503
or Paula Ernstrom, 538-1509

Listed below are the highlights of Governor Mike Leavitt's activities over the past two weeks. Please call if you have any questions.

  • Announced the preservation of open space in six Utah counties. Governor Leavitt met with leaders in Washington, Summit, Iron, Cache, Wasatch and Utah counties to announce that permanent public access will be provided to beautiful scenic waterways, equestrian areas and visual splendor. He is also working with local leaders in other rapidly growing areas including Salt Lake and Weber counties. "The spectacular open spaces of Utah are part of our unique heritage. I am very pleased to partner with local communities that are preserving the ponds where are children can fish and skate, the fields where crops are grown, and the wide open pastures where wildlife roam," the governor said. Governor Leavitt recently issued an executive order to create a Utah Open Lands Committee. The committee is a catalyst for locally initiated efforts to conserve open lands in rapidly growing communities. He has suggested that local communities undertake similar initiatives. The state committee will help local communities identify open land conservation projects, initiated by local interests, to be submitted to future state legislative sessions for authorization. Protection of open space is a priority of the Leavitt administration. He included it as one of three topics in the unprecedented Growth Summit held last December.

    • Following is a summary of activities in each county:



  • Received assurance from the federal government that improvements on the I-15 corridor in time for the 2002 Olympics is a priority. Governor Leavitt and state Department of Transportation Officials met with Rod Slater, the nation's top highway administrator, to discuss Utah's transportation needs. The governor and Slater signed a memorandum of understanding outlining several general agreements between UDOT and the Federal Highway Administration including mutually accepting the vision and challenge for reconstruction of the I-15 corridor in time for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Slater is on a cross-country road tour to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the interstate highway system.


  • Said that providing adequate affordable housing is one of the most personal and pressing issues Utahns face during a time of unparalleled growth. In a speech to the Utah State Planning Forum, the governor said the state has a multi-pronged approach to addressing the challenge, including providing the proper tax structure and regulatory policy, optimizing the use of school trust lands for housing construction, and filling in gaps in financing availability, largely through the Utah Housing Finance Agency, which provides funding for affordable housing and low-interest mortgages. Utah Housing Finance spends $1 million a day to assist first time home buyers and low income citizens in finding housing. In addition, the state's Olene Walker Housing Trust Fund has grown from $2.5 million when the governor took office to $14 million today. The fund is leveraged with other dollars to provide cheap capital for low-income housing construction. The governor emphasized that many housing issues must be addressed by local government through zoning and other local policies. The state is assisting counties, cities and towns to implement an affordable housing program.


  • Approved a plan to improve visibility on the Colorado Plateau. The Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Commission met to formally approve the measures aimed at reducing air pollution in 16 national parks and wilderness areas. Governor Leavitt, vice chair of the commission said, "The Commission has set a precedent for addressing environmental issues that cross jurisdictional boundaries. Working together we can come up with innovative solutions that fit our region." The recommendations include reducing emissions by vehicles and power plants, encouraging pollution prevention measures and minimizing the smoke impacts from prescribed fires. The package was developed by the commission's Public Advisory Committee, comprised of representatives from all levels of government, industry, environmental groups and academia. "This process should serve as a model for the rest of the country. We've proven what the West has long advocated; western people working together, create better solutions than do one-size-fits-all mandates from Washington," the governor said.


  • Announced Utah's populations has grown to 2 million people. Governor Leavitt marked the occasion by visiting the newborn nursery at LDS Hospital which has one of the highest delivery rates in the Salt Lake Valley. "We welcome all new citizens to our state, especially these youngest Utahns," the governor said. "We commit to them that we will work hard to maintain the quality of life that their parents have enjoyed, the life that makes Utah one of the greatest states in which to live." Utah is one of 34 states with more than 2 million citizens. The defining feature of Utah's population growth is its fertility rate which is the highest in the nation. Currently, Utah has approximately 38,000 births per year and 10,000 deaths. In-migration has brought an average of 19,000 residents a year to Utah. Seventy percent of growth is generated within the state through birth rates.


  • Met with officials and residents of Emery County to kick off the "San Rafael Futures Project." The goal of the Futures Project is to adopt innovative management, promotion and industry practices which will enhance the county's economic base while preserving and enhancing the natural and human components of the regions lands and natural resources. "I am pleased to see the steps Emery County is taking to preserve the quality of life enjoyed by those who live in this area of the state," the governor said. "The careful manner with which you are approaching both the preservation and the development of resources will benefit future generations in your county."


  • Honored the International Hockey League's championship team, the Utah Grizzlies. Governor Leavitt joined with players, coaches, and staff to declare June 11 as Utah Grizzlies Day in Utah and to thank the team for restoring the proud tradition of hockey to the state. Governor Leavitt was also on hand to drop the puck at the beginning of the final Turner Cup series game at the Delta Center.


  • Declared Scoliosis Awareness Day in Utah. Governor Leavitt joined with Representative Nora Stephens and House Speaker Mel Brown to recognize National Scoliosis Foundation President Joe O'Brien. O'Brien is on a cross country bicycle trip to raise funds for the National Scoliosis Foundation and awareness about lateral curvatures of the spine. Stephens, whose daughter has scoliosis, sponsored a bill during the past legislative session that made screening for the ailment mandatory in Utah's schools.


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