[House Report 119-290]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 119-290
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UNIVERSITY OF UTAH RESEARCH PARK ACT
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September 15, 2025.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Westerman, from the Committee on Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 2876]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 2876) to confirm the use of certain non-Federal
land in Salt Lake City, Utah, for public purposes, and for
other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably
thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION
The purpose of H.R. 2876 is to confirm the use of certain
non-Federal land in Salt Lake City, Utah, for public purposes,
and for other purposes.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
H.R. 2876 would address an issue related to the federal
government's reversionary interest in approximately 593 acres
of non-federal land owned by the University of Utah. The Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) originally issued a patent for this
land, under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act, to the
University of Utah on October 18, 1968.\1\ The patent specified
that the land, located in Salt Lake City, could be used only
for academic expansion, an arboretum, and a highway to access
facilities used for those purposes.\2\ Failing to adhere to the
terms of the patent would trigger the reversionary interest,
transferring the land back to the BLM.
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\1\U.S. Department of the Interior, ``Recreation and public
Purposes Land Patent to the University of Utah'' October 18, 1968,
https://d182hggomw8pjd.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/
08/05141720/1968-10th-US-Grant-Land-Patent.pdf.
\2\Id.
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In the intervening decades, the University of Utah
developed the land, now known as Research Park, into a research
and development center that serves both the university and the
local workforce.\3\ Research Park has helped over 100 start-
ups, conceived mostly by University of Utah students and
researchers.\4\ The park currently hosts approximately 50
companies, 81 university departments, and a workforce of more
than 14,000 people.\5\ Among these are innovative companies
specializing in biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, and
manufacturing, all of which provide opportunities for students
to learn and work among experts.\6\ This parcel has been used
in this fashion by the university since the issuance of the
patent and BLM has not been involved in the management of the
land for more than 55 years.
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\3\The Office of Senator Mike Lee, ``University of Utah Research
Park Act,'' November 2, 2021, https://republicans-
naturalresources.house.gov/UploadedFiles/
2021.11.3_Research_Park_continuation.pdf.
\4\Id.
\5\Brian Maffly, ``U. has big plans for Research Park, but land
patent is getting in the way,'' The Salt Lake Tribune, December 15,
2021, https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2021/12/15/u-has-big-
plans-research/.
\6\Id.
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A recent review of Research Park uncovered that the parcel
was not in compliance with the patent because of the commercial
nature of the companies currently located there. Unfortunately,
the restrictive terms of the reversionary clause mean that the
university cannot continue to host these companies, despite the
considerable educational and economic benefits they provide to
students and the broader community.\7\ This restriction also
prevents the university from further developing Research Park
to benefit students and the local community.
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\7\Id.
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Sponsored by Representative Blake Moore (R-UT-01), H.R.
2876 would confirm that the current uses of Research Park, as
approved in writing by the Department of the Interior on
December 10, 1970, are valid public purposes consistent with
the Recreation and Public Purposes Act. This bill also affirms
that other university-related purposes, such as student housing
and a transit hub, are consistent with the Recreation and
Public Purposes Act. These changes would enable the university
to move forward with its plans to enhance Research Park further
by making it more walkable, creating additional residential
facilities, and bringing in additional laboratories and
offices.\8\ While the reversionary interest will remain in
place, H.R. 2876 would bring the university back into
compliance with the original terms of the deed and remove any
uncertainty about the land reverting to the federal government
because of its current use. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) is the
sponsor of the companion legislation in the Senate.\9\
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\8\Tony Semerad, ``University of Utah plans major revamp of
research park on Foothill Drive, adding lots of housing,'' The Salt
Lake Tribune, June 9, 2020, https://www.sltrib.com/news/2020/06/09/
dense-walkable-amenity/.
\9\S. 1453; https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-
bill/1453.
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COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 2876 was introduced on April 10, 2025, by
Representative Blake Moore (R-UT). The bill was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the
Subcommittee on Federal Lands. On April 29, 2025, the
Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing on the bill. On
June 25, 2025, the Committee on Natural Resources met to
consider the bill. The Subcommittee on Federal Lands was
discharged from further consideration of H.R. 2876 by unanimous
consent. The bill was ordered favorably reported to the House
of Representatives by unanimous consent.
HEARINGS
For the purposes of clause 3(c)(6) of House rule XIII, the
following hearing was used to develop or consider this measure:
hearing by the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held on April 29,
2025.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 names the legislation the ``University of Utah
Research Park Act.''
Section 2. Confirmation of use of certain non-Federal land in Salt Lake
City, Utah, for valid public purposes
Section 2 confirms that the University of Utah's current
use of approximately 593 acres of land as a research park is a
valid public purpose consistent with the requirements of the
Recreation and Public Purposes Act.\10\ This section also
confirms that any other uses of the land as a research park or
for a related university purpose, including student housing or
transit hub development, are also valid public purposes
consistent with the requirements of the Recreation and Public
Purposes Act.
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\10\43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.
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COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET
ACT
1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act.
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
sections 308(a) and 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, the Committee has received the following estimate for the
bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
H.R. 2876 would confirm the acceptability of the University
of Utah's ongoing use of a 594-acre parcel of land. In 1968,
the Department of the Interior conveyed the land to the
university under the condition that it be used for public
purposes. The university established and is currently operating
an academic research park on the land, which houses technology,
education, and medical facilities. The bill also would allow
the university to develop student housing and a transit hub on
the land and to use the area for other purposes related to the
research park. Because those uses would have no cost to the
federal government, CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 2876 would
have no effect on the federal budget.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Katherine Chou.
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Director of Budget Analysis.
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director, Congressional Budget Office.
2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or
objective of this bill is to confirm the use of certain non-
Federal land in Salt Lake City, Utah, for public purposes, and
for other purposes.
EARMARK STATEMENT
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT STATEMENT
According to the Congressional Budget Office, H.R. 2876
contains no unfunded mandates as defined by the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act.
EXISTING PROGRAMS
Directed Rule Making. This bill does not contain any
directed rule makings.
Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not
establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government
known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was
not included in any report from the Government Accountability
Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139
or identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program
Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law
98-169) as relating to other programs.
APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW
Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the
U.S. Constitution.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
As ordered reported by the Committee on Natural Resources,
H.R. 2876 would make no changes in existing law.
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