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Bills / S.B. 254

S.B. 254 Extracted Natural Resources Amendments

Became lawWritten by Sen. Ann Millner · carried in the House by Rep. David Shallenberger

  1. Introduced
  2. Senate committee
  3. Senate vote
  4. House committee
  5. House vote
  6. Signed into law

What this bill does

The bill would create a state critical minerals strategy and council, speed up permitting, allow critical mineral zones, and set up a mine center at the University of Utah for processing and innovation. The latest version makes council funding ongoing, changes the severance tax on critical and other minerals, and removes the ability to transfer tax credits.

Plain-English summary written by AI from the sponsor’s presentation in committee and on the floor. Check the official text below.

Official description
  • facilitates faster permitting by the Department of Environmental Quality and the Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining
  • modifies the tax credit for mining exploration
  • creates the State Reinvestment Restricted Account and diverts various streams of income related to severance taxes into the State Reinvestment Restricted Account
  • addresses property tax differentials based on critical minerals zones
  • defines terms
  • establishes the state critical minerals objectives and policy, including providing for annual reviews
  • creates the Critical Minerals Council (council), including establishing the council's operations, powers, and duties
  • makes money appropriated to the council nonlapsing
  • addresses areas of coordination by certain council members
  • establishes a process to designate critical minerals zones, including providing for property tax differential revenue
  • provides for the creation of a clearinghouse of data to be known as the "Critical Minerals Atlas"
  • addresses the creation of the Minerals for Industrial, National, and Economic Security Center
  • creates the Critical Minerals Development Account
  • coordinates with H.B. 373, Higher Education Innovation, to address inclusion of critical minerals projects in the eligible research areas for research grants
  • makes technical and conforming amendments
Full text and history on le.utah.gov →
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What it costs you

From the bill's latest official fiscal note, counting the state's tax funds (General, Income Tax, Education, Uniform School, and Transportation) in the first full budget year after the session. Some bills take effect partway through that year, so later years can be larger; the note shows each year. Household count: U.S. Census Bureau. An average is a starting point, not your bill.

Your legislators on this bill

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Every vote

Hearings and debates