Congressman Blake Moore’s legislation to secure the future of the University of Utah’s Research Park has passed the House of Representatives by unanimous consent. The University of Utah Research Park Act, developed in collaboration with university leadership, aims to provide long-term stability for the nearly 600-acre park.
“The University of Utah’s Research Park has been instrumental in putting Utah on the map for innovation, research, and development,” Congressman Moore said. “This legislation will provide the U with the stability necessary to meet the needs of its students, the community, and industry. I am grateful for the bill’s bipartisan support and am thrilled it passed the House! Go Utes!”
House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman also commented on the bill: “Representative Moore’s bill will make a technical fix to allow the University of Utah full use of their facilities, free from federal interference. As a proud Utahn, Representative Moore’s attention to this legislation shows he has the best interests of his state at heart. I am proud to work alongside him and Senator Lee on this legislation and hope to see it on the President’s desk swiftly.”
The legislation addresses legal uncertainties related to land initially conveyed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 1968 under the Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP) Act. The land was originally granted for academic and research purposes at Fort Douglas Military Reservation. Over time, Research Park has grown into a center that houses more than 50 companies and employs almost 14,000 people.
Recently, BLM questioned whether current activities at Research Park align with conditions set out when the land was first transferred. The new act clarifies that developing and operating a university research park qualifies as a valid public purpose under existing law.
The measure builds on earlier versions negotiated with federal agencies and received support from both university officials and members of Congress. It previously passed unanimously out of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources during last Congress after technical revisions were made.
Blake Moore represents Utah’s 1st district in Congress after succeeding Rob Bishop in 2021. He was born in Ogden, Utah in 1980, lives in Salt Lake City, and graduated from the University of Utah in 2005.
More details about this bill can be found on Congress.gov.
