AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.

This bill would make two main changes to how the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) works with local health departments and local governments on environmental enforcement. First, it would eliminate an existing requirement that DEQ report annually to a legislative oversight committee on how its rules and policies affect local health departments. Second, it would consolidate and standardize, in a single new section of law, the process by which local governments or local health departments can request reimbursement from DEQ for significant, unexpected ("extraordinary") costs incurred while assisting DEQ with environmental enforcement; to qualify, they would need to submit documentation of the expense, proof that DEQ requested their help, and timely written notice, with DEQ required to write rules spelling out exactly what activities and expenses qualify. The bill also makes numerous technical updates across various environmental penalty statutes (covering air quality, water quality, hazardous waste, underground storage tanks, waste tires, and hazardous substance cleanup) clarifying that civil penalties and fines collected under those laws generally go to the state's General Fund or specific dedicated accounts, except when used for this new reimbursement process.