UtahUtah directs brine shrimp royalties to Great Salt Lake needs
Brine shrimp harvesters pay royalties at rates tied to the harvest year, while state land managers direct some of that money to Great Salt Lake needs.
What it does
Brine shrimp harvesters pay 3.25 cents per pound for tax years ending by January 31, 2026, and 3.75 cents for tax years starting February 1, 2026, or later. The money is split between state accounts under yearly rules.
Great Salt Lake mineral operators pay severance tax at rates that depend on their water agreements and extraction methods. For some operators, the lake’s recorded level also affects the tax.
Great Salt Lake mineral operators certify information about their water agreements, extraction methods, and minerals to help determine their severance tax. A special deadline applies to some operators for 2025 and 2026.
With legislative funding, state land managers use $125,000 as directed by the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council and spend remaining specified deposits on lake water rights or projects for brine shrimp.
Argument forLake managers could use royalty money for water rights or projects that directly support or maintain the Great Salt Lake brine shrimp population.
Argument againstHarvesters may pay a higher royalty, and some money may go to lake management instead of species protection, depending on the yearly funding threshold.
More detail
Brine shrimp harvesters pay a royalty based on the pounds of eggs they harvest. These rates apply to people who harvest unprocessed brine shrimp eggs in Utah. The rate is 3.25 cents per pound for tax years ending on or before January 31, 2026, and 3.75 cents per pound for tax years beginning on or after February 1, 2026. The first $125,000 of yearly revenue goes to the Sovereign Lands Management Account. For fiscal years 2027 and 2028, remaining revenue generally goes to the Species Protection Account until related deposits reach $800,000; after that, remaining royalty revenue goes to the Sovereign Lands Management Account. On and after July 1, 2028, remaining revenue goes to that account. The section takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies beginning January 1, 2026.
Great Salt Lake mineral operators pay severance tax at rates tied to their water agreements and extraction methods. These rules cover people extracting minerals or mineral compounds from Great Salt Lake brine. Some operators without an approved voluntary water agreement pay 7.8%; some operators who do not use evaporative concentration, or who meet water-agreement conditions, pay 2.6%. For certain operators with approved agreements, the tax rate or whether tax applies depends on the lake level recorded for the prior calendar year. These rules do not excuse other taxes or void a mineral lease or royalty agreement. The tax rules apply beginning with calendar year 2025 and take effect May 6, 2026.
Great Salt Lake mineral operators certify information used to determine their severance tax. The duty applies to Great Salt Lake extraction operators subject to the severance tax rules. Operators generally certify their information to the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands by December 31 each year. The division sends information to the State Tax Commission, which uses it to determine the tax. For tax years 2025 and 2026, an operator that enters a voluntary agreement with the state about state-owned water rights may certify by May 15, 2026; the division must send an updated report by June 1, 2026. The general certification is due by December 31 for the next calendar year’s tax determination. The special 2025 and 2026 deadlines are May 15 and June 1, 2026.
State land managers use specified account money for the Great Salt Lake and follow the terms of related legal settlements. These directions apply to the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands and money in the Sovereign Lands Management Account. Account spending is funded by legislative appropriation. On and after July 1, 2026, the division uses $125,000 as directed by the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council and spends the remainder of the specified Great Salt Lake deposits on water rights for the lake or projects that directly benefit or maintain the brine shrimp population. Money received from a judgment, settlement, or compromise about ownership of nearby sovereign lands must be spent according to its terms. The directions for these Great Salt Lake deposits apply on and after July 1, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 25Governor Spencer Cox SignedBecame Law
- Mar 16House/ to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 16House/ received enrolled bill from PrintingMinor
- Mar 12House/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 12Enrolled Bill Returned to House or SenateMinor
- Mar 10Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
- Mar 10Bill Received from House for EnrollingMinor
- Mar 7House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrollingMajor
- Mar 7House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 7Senate/ to House
- Mar 7Senate/ signed by President/ returned to HouseMajor
- Mar 7Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Mar 6House/ to Senate
- Vote recorded House/ concurs with Senate amendment. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 6House/ concurs with Senate amendmentMajor
- Mar 6House/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
- Mar 6House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 6Senate/ to House with amendments
- Mar 6Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspensionPassed Senate
- Mar 6Senate/ substituted
- Mar 6Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspensionMinor
- Mar 6Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 5LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0247S05
- Mar 5LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0247S05
- Mar 5Senate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules [Senate Rules Committee]Minor
- Mar 4LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0247S05
- Mar 4LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0247S05
- Mar 3LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0247S04
- Mar 3LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0247S04
- Mar 3LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0247S04
- Mar 3LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0247S04
- Mar 3LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0247S03
- Mar 3LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0247S03
- Feb 26Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 26Senate/ committee report favorable [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Minor
- Feb 26Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Minor
- Feb 26LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0247S03
- Feb 26LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0247S03
- Feb 24Senate Comm - Not Considered [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]
- Feb 20LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0247S02
- Feb 19Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Minor
- Feb 18Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Feb 17Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Vote recorded House/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 17House/ to Senate
- Feb 17House/ passed 3rd readingPassed House
- Feb 17House/ substituted
- Feb 17House/ 3rd readingMinor
- Feb 17LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0247S02
- Feb 17LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0247S02
- Feb 7LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0247S01
- Feb 7LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0247S01
- Feb 6House/ 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 6House/ comm rpt/ substituted [House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]
- Feb 5House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Minor
- Feb 5House Comm - Substitute Recommendation [House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Major
- Feb 5LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0247S01
- Feb 5LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0247S01
- Feb 4House/ to standing committee [House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]Minor
- Jan 20House/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Jan 20House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal AnalystMinor
- Jan 17LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0247
- Jan 17LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0247
- Jan 14House/ received bill from Legislative ResearchMinor
- Jan 13LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0247
- Jan 13LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0247
- Jan 13Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 13Bill Numbered but not DistributedIntroduced
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