Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources

Rule R657-41

Conservation and Sportsman Permits

Notice of Proposed Rule

(Amendment)

DAR File No.: 36393
Filed: 06/19/2012 06:04:45 AM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

This rule is being amended pursuant to Regional Advisory Council and Wildlife Board meetings conducted annually for taking public input and reviewing the Division of Wildlife's rule pursuant to conservation and sportsman permits.

Summary of the rule or change:

The proposed revisions to the above listed rule: 1) establish criteria for determining the number of area conservation permits to be issued each year; 2) add additional clarification concerning the payment of approved projects; and 3) clarify the definition of "area conservation permit".

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Section 23-14-18
• Section 23-14-19

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

This amendment clarifies the process for determining the number of area conservation permits to be issued each year and adds clarification concerning the payment of approved projects. The Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) determines that these amendments do not create a cost or savings impact to the state budget or DWR's budget, since the changes will not increase workload and can be carried out with existing budget.

local governments:

This amendment clarifies the process for determining the number of area conservation permits to be issued each year and clarifies the use of funds on approved projects. This should have little to no effect on the local government. This filing does not create any direct cost or savings impact to local governments because they are not directly affected by the rule. Nor are local governments indirectly impacted because the rule does not create a situation requiring services from local governments.

small businesses:

This amendment clarifies the process for determining the number of area conservation permits to be issued each year and adds clarification concerning the payment of approved projects. Therefore, the amendments do not have the potential to generate a cost or savings impact to small businesses.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

This amendment clarifies the process for determining the number of area conservation permits to be issued each year and adds clarification concerning the payment of approved projects. Therefore, the amendments do not have the potential to generate a cost or savings impact to other persons.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

DWR determines that these amendments will not create additional costs for residents and nonresidents wishing to hunt in Utah.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

The amendments to this rule do not create an impact on businesses.

Michael R. Styler, Executive Director

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources
1594 W NORTH TEMPLE
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84116-3154

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• Staci Coons at the above address, by phone at 801-538-4718, by FAX at 801-538-4709, or by Internet E-mail at stacicoons@utah.gov

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

08/14/2012

This rule may become effective on:

08/21/2012

Authorized by:

James Karpowitz, Director

R657. Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources.

R657-41. Conservation and Sportsman Permits.

R657-41-1. Purpose and Authority.

(1) Under the authority of Section 23-14-18 and 23-14-19, this rule provides the standards and procedures for issuing:

(a) conservation permits to conservation organizations for sale at an auction, or for use as an aid to wildlife related fund raising activities; and

(b) sportsman permits.

(2) The division and conservation organizations shall use all revenue derived from conservation permits under Subsections R657-41-9(4) and R657-41-9(5)(b) for the benefit of the species for which the permit is issued, unless the division and conservation organization mutually agree in writing that there is a higher priority use for other species of protected wildlife.

 

R657-41-2. Definitions.

(1) Terms used in this rule are defined in Section 23-13-2.

(2) In addition:

(a) "Area Conservation Permit" means a permit issued for a specific unit or hunt area for a conservation permit species, and may include an extended season, or legal weapon choice, or both, beyond the season except area turkey permits are valid during any season option and are valid in any open area during general season hunt.

(i) Area Conservation permits issued for limited entry units are not valid on cooperative wildlife management units.

(b) "Conservation Organization" means a nonprofit chartered institution, foundation, or association founded for the purpose of promoting wildlife conservation and has established tax exempt status under Internal Revenue Code, Section 501C-3 as amended.

(c) "Conservation Permit" means any harvest permit authorized by the Wildlife Board and issued by the division for purposes identified in Section R657-41-1.

(d) "Conservation Permit Species" means the species for which conservation permits may be issued and includes deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bison, Rocky Mountain goat, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, desert bighorn sheep, wild turkey, cougar, and black bear.

(e) "Multi-Year Conservation Permit" means a conservation permit awarded to an eligible conservation organization pursuant to R657-41-7 for three consecutive years to sell, market or otherwise use as an aid in wildlife related fund raising activities.

(f) "Retained Revenue" means 60% of the revenue raised by a conservation organizations from the sale of conservation permits that the organization retains for eligible projects, excluding interest earned thereon.

(g) "Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permit" means a permit authorized by the Wildlife Board to hunt bighorn sheep or mule deer on Antelope Island State Park.

(h) "Sportsman Permit" means a permit which allows a permittee to hunt during the applicable season dates specified in Subsection (j), and which is authorized by the Wildlife Board and issued by the division in a general drawing, requiring all applicants to pay an application fee and the successful applicant the cost of the permit.

(i) "Single Year Conservation Permit" means a conservation permit awarded to an eligible conservation organization pursuant to R657-41-6 for one year to sell, market or otherwise use as an aid in wildlife related fund raising activities.

(j) "Statewide Conservation Permit" means a permit issued for a conservation permit species that allows a permittee to hunt:

(i) big game species on any open unit with archery equipment during the general archery season published in the big game proclamation for the unit beginning before September 1, and with any weapon from September 1 through December 31, except pronghorn and moose from September 1 through November 15 and deer and elk from September 1 through January 15;

(ii) two turkeys on any open unit from April 1 through May 31;

(iii) bear on any open unit during the season authorized by the Wildlife Board for that unit;

(iv) cougar on any open unit during the season authorized by the Wildlife Board for that unit and during the season dates authorized by the Wildlife Board on any harvest objective unit that has been closed by meeting its objective; and

(v) Antelope Island is not an open unit for hunting any species of wildlife authorized by a conservation or sportsman permit, except for the Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permit.

 

R657-41-3. Determining the Number of Conservation and Sportsman Permits.

(1) The number of conservation permits authorized by the Wildlife Board shall be based on:

(a) the species population trend, size, and distribution to protect the long-term health of the population;

(b) the hunting and viewing opportunity for the general public, both short and long term; and

(c) the potential revenue that will support protection and enhancement of the species.

(2) One statewide conservation permit may be authorized for each conservation permit species.

(3) A limited number of area conservation permits may be authorized as follows:

(a) [a maximum of 10% of the total permits, assigned to a hunt area or combination of hunt areas,]the potential number of multi-year and single year permits available for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and desert bighorn sheep[;] will be calculated based on the number permits issued the year prior to the permits being awarded using the following rule:

(i) 5-14 public permits = 1 conservation permit, 15-24 public permits = 2 conservation permits, 25-34 public permits = 3 conservation permits, 35-44 permits = 4 conservation permits, 45-54 public permits = 5 conservation permits, 55-64 = 6 conservation permits, 65-74 public permits = 7 conservation permits and >75 public permits = 8 conservation permits.

(b) [a maximum of 5% of the permits or eight permits, whichever is less, for any unit or hunt area]the potential number of multi-year and single year permits available for the remaining conservation permit species[.] will be calculated based on the number permits issued the year prior to the permits being awarded using the following rule:

([4]i) 11-30 public permits = 1 conservation permit, 31-50 public permits = 2 conservation permits, 51-70 public permits = 3 conservation permits, 71-90 permits = 4 conservation permits, 91-110 public permits = 5 conservation permits, 111-130 = 6 conservation permits, 131-150 public permits = 7 conservation permits and >150 public permits = 8 conservation permits.

(4) The number of conservation permits may be reduced if the number of public permits declines during the time period or which multi-year permits were awarded.

(5) The actual number of conservation and sportsman permits available for use will be determined by the Wildlife Board.

([5]6) Area conservation permits shall be deducted from the number of public drawing permits.

([6]7) One sportsman permit shall be authorized for each statewide conservation permit authorized.

([7]8) All area conservation permits are eligible as multi-year permits except that the division may designate some area conservation permits as single year permits based on the applications received for single year permits.

([8]9) All statewide permits will be multi-year permits except for a second statewide permit issued for a special event.

 

R657-41-9. Conservation Permit Funds and Reporting.

(1) All permits must be marketed by September 1, annually.

(2) Within 30 days of the last event, but no later than September 1 annually, the conservation organization must submit to the division:

(a) a final report on the distribution of permits;

(b) the total funds raised on each permit;

(c) the funds due to the division; and

(d) a report on the status of each project funded in whole or in part with retained conservation permit revenue.

(3)(a) Permits shall not be issued until the permit fees are paid to the division.

(b) If the conservation organization is paying the permit fees for the permit recipient, the fees must be paid from the 10% retained by the conservation organization as provided in Subsection (5)(a).

(4)(a) Conservation organizations shall remit to the division by September 1 of each year 30% of the total revenue generated by conservation permit sales in that year.

(b) The permit revenue payable to the division under Subsection (4)(a), excluding accrued interest, is the property of the division and may not be used by conservation organizations for projects or any other purpose.

(c) The permit revenue must be placed in a federally insured account promptly upon receipt and remain in the account until remitted to the division on or before September 1 of each year.

(d) The permit revenue payable to the division under this subsection shall not be used by the conservation organization as collateral or commingled in the same account with the organization's operation and administration funds, so that the separate identity of the permit revenue is not lost.

(e) Failure to remit 30% of the total permit revenue to the Division by the September 1 deadline may result in criminal prosecution under Title 76, Chapter 6, Part 4 of the Utah Code, and may further disqualify the conservation organization from obtaining any future conservation permits.

(5) A conservation organization may retain 70% of the revenue generated from the sale of conservation permits as follows:

(a) 10% of the revenue may be withheld and used by the conservation organization for administrative expenses.

(b) 60% of the revenue may be retained and used by the conservation organization only for eligible projects as provided in subsections (i) through (ix).

(i) eligible projects include habitat improvement, habitat acquisition, transplants, targeted education efforts and other projects providing a substantial benefit to species of wildlife for which conservation permits are issued.

(ii) retained revenue shall not be committed to or expended on any eligible project without first obtaining the division director's written concurrence.

(iii) retained revenue shall not be used on any project that does not provide a substantial and direct benefit to conservation permit species located in Utah.

(iv) cash donations to the Wildlife Habitat Account created under Section 23-19-43, Division Species Enhancement Funds, or the Conservation Permit Fund shall be considered an eligible project and do not require the division director's approval, provided the donation is made with instructions that it be used for species of wildlife for which conservation permits are issued.

[(v)](v) funds committed to approved projects will be transferred to the division within 90 days of being committed

(A) if the project to which funds are committed is completed under the projected budget or is canceled, funds committed to the project that are not used will be kept by the division and credited back to the conservation organization and will be made available for the group to use on other approved projects during the current or subsequent year.

(vi) retained revenue shall not be used on any project that is inconsistent with division policy, including feeding programs, depredation management, or predator control.

([vi]vii) retained revenue under this subsection must be placed in a federally insured account. All interest revenue earned thereon may be retained and used by the conservation organization for administrative expenses.

([vii]viii) retained revenue shall not be used by the conservation organization as collateral or commingled in the same account with the organization's operation and administration funds, so that the separate identity of the retained revenue is not lost.

([viii]ix) retained revenue must be completely expended on or committed to approved eligible projects by September 1, two years following the year in which the relevant conservation permits are awarded to the conservation organization by the Wildlife Board. Failure to commit or expend the retained revenue by the September 1 deadline will disqualify the conservation organization from obtaining any future conservation permits until the unspent retained revenue is committed to an approved eligible project.

([ix]x) all records and receipts for projects under this subsection must be retained by the conservation organization for a period not less than five years, and shall be produced to the division for inspection upon request.

(6)(a) Conservation organizations accepting permits shall be subject to annual audits on project expenditures and conservation permit accounts.

(b) The division shall perform annual audits on project expenditures and conservation permit accounts.

 

R657-41-11. Using a Conservation or Sportsman Permit.

(1)(a) A conservation or sportsman permit allows the recipient to take only one individual of the species for which the permit is issued, except a statewide turkey conservation or sportsman permit allows the holder to take two turkeys.

(b) The species that may be taken shall be printed on the permit.

(c) The species may be taken in the area and during the season specified on the permit.

(d) The species may be taken only with the weapon specified on the permit.

(2) The recipient of a conservation or sportsman permit is subject to all of the provisions of Title 23, Wildlife Resources Code, and the rules and proclamations of the Wildlife Board for taking and pursuing wildlife.

(3) Bonus points shall not be awarded or utilized:

(a) when applying for conservation or sportsman permits; or

(b) in obtaining conservation or sportsman permits.

(4) Any person who has obtained a conservation or sportsman permit is subject to all waiting periods as provided in Rules R657-[5, R657-6, R657-10 and R657-33.]62.

 

KEY: wildlife, wildlife permits, sportsmen, conservation permits

Date of enactment or last Substantive Change: [August 9, 2010]2012

Notice of Continuation: November 1, 2010

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 23-14-18; 23-14-19