University of Utah Research Park Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the University of Utah's Research Park Act.

The University of Utah's Research Park is comprised of 593 acres that were originally issued as a land patent in 1968 through the Bureau of Land Management. The area was later conveyed under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act for academic expansion of the university. Today, Research Park supports a multitude of uses, including technology, education, and medical facilities.

Although the parcel was conveyed to the university, a reversionary clause remains in place to ensure continued public use. While reversionary clauses are standard practice, in this case it has created challenges for the university in pursuing new opportunities that fall outside the traditional sense of public purposes under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act, even though the site was previously approved for university expansion.

H.R. 2876 would clarify and affirm that Research Park is consistent with the original application, so that the university can continue to grow Research Park.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. HERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source