SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 18, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency Tuesday to help fund the state’s flooding response.
Record snowpack followed by warmer temperatures and rain have Utah waterways running at high levels, creating risks for avalanches, landslides, rockslides and mudslides, the governor stated in his fifth executive order of 2023.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the moisture we’ve received this winter, but the extra rain and hefty snowpack present increasing flood risks as the snow melts,” Cox said in a news release. “By declaring a state of emergency, the state will be better able to tap into reserve funds to support flood response and mitigation efforts. In short, we’ll be better prepared for what lies ahead this spring.”
Lawmakers during the 2023 Utah Legislature appropriated $5 million for emergency management flood mitigation, but that funding has dried up, according to the governor’s office.
Cox’s executive order will allow the state to tap into its disaster recovery restricted account for additional resources and seek aid from the federal government and other states, according to the governor’s office.
The Utah Division of Emergency Management has activated the State Emergency Response Team, which had provided more than 1 million sandbags as of April 7 to help communities prepare for flooding, the executive order states.
Crews from the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands also are available to assist local governments and volunteers with filling sandbags, removing debris and operating heavy equipment, according to the order.
The governor’s executive order is expected to remain in effect for 30 days unless extended by the state Legislature.
