Representative Carl Albrecht
October 5, 2024
Working For Utah
At last month’s interim meetings, I had the opportunity to meet with my colleagues and discuss legislation for the upcoming 2025 General Session. During my committees, we heard from policy experts, stakeholders, and members of the public about issues that matter to them. If you want to know more about what was discussed, you can watch full recordings at le.utah.gov.
Next month’s meetings will take place on Oct. 15-16 at the Utah State Capitol. Interim Meetings are a great way for you to get involved in the Legislative process. I hope to see you there, or you can follow along online at le.utah.gov.
Stand for Our Land
As a state, we are pushing back against federal overreach and taking control of Utah’s future. The federal government controls nearly 70% of Utah lands. This includes 18.5 million acres of “unappropriated” lands, or lands being held without any designated purpose, controlled by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In contrast, the federal government controls less than 1% of the land in New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island
Under the control of the federal government, Utah public lands have become less and less public with every public lands decision coming from Washington, D.C. And upcoming plans of the BLM promise more road closures and further restrictions on access. These closures and restrictions significantly affect Utah’s economy and our ability to maintain Utah lands for wildlife management, hunting, wildfire protection, grazing, tourism, recreation, and many other activities.
Let’s keep Utah lands in the hands of those who know how to manage it best: Utahns. Learn more at standforourland.utah.gov.
Public Utilities and Energy
While Utah has some of the lowest electricity bills in the nation we’re not immune to the threat of outside factors impacting our rates. During the August Public Utilities and Energy Committee, we heard from Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) concerning their proposed 30% rate hike in electricity rates next year. This increase would make power unaffordable for Utahns statewide, especially with inflation already driving up costs in recent years.
We urged RMP to find a new, less costly solution, and they have since lowered their request to 18%. While this is still far too expensive for many Utahns, the progress makes me hopeful that we can prevent an increase altogether, and I’ll keep you updated as we continue our focused work on this issue.
We discussed nuclear energy further during September Interim’s Public Utilities, Energy and Technology Committee, where the Office of Energy Development )OED) shared findings from its Strategic Nuclear Energy Pathway Project. Their presentation provided compelling data that small modular nuclear reactors could be a strong addition to our energy grid.
Nuclear energy is just one of many methods we’re exploring as we expand our energy portfolio. I anticipate energy policy will be a top priority for the 2025 General Session, just as it was in 2024. By bolstering our energy grid with innovative solutions, we can make Utah energy-independent and keep costs down for families and businesses alike.
Remember to Vote
Your voice matters! Make yours heard by exercising your right to vote. Elections will take place Tuesday, November 5th and ballots will be mailed out starting Tuesday, October 15th. Click here to register to vote, learn more about the issues, and find polling places and ballot drop boxes near you.
Upcoming events and important dates
October 15th & 16th – October interim meetings
October 22nd – Early voting begins
October 25th – Last day to register to vote
Tuesday, November 5th – Election Day
November 19th & 20th – November interim meetings
Thank You
As always, I appreciate the opportunity to represent you and all of District 70 in the Utah House of Representatives. Thank you for your continued support. Feel free to contact me with questions or concerns.
Best Regards
Representative Carl Albrecht
carlalbrecht@le.utah.gov
435-979-6578
