The County Seat's Podcast Brian Schuster

 On this week’s episode, we discuss film incentives in Utah. Think it’s not big business here? Think again. But could it be bigger? A record six television series filmed in-state in fiscal year 2020, including the third season of the highly acclaimed television series Yellowstone starring Kevin Costner. This series spent more than $100 million in Utah over the past three years and created hundreds of jobs each year. In addition, $23.8 million was spent in rural Utah by productions that received state film incentives. And 54% of film incentives were issued to rural Utah counties. On tourism, 49% of visitors were aware of films or TV series made in Utah. Of those, 71% said it influenced their decision to visit. Special Guests this Week: - Cody Stewart, Government Relations for Paramount and ViacomCBS - Ron Winterton, Utah State Senate District 26 - Virginia Pearce, Director of the Utah Film Commission 

 This full episode of the County Seat discusses Rotational Grazing - a new technique performed by ranchers in Utah to help improve the range, keep plants healthier and sustain water and land quality. This episode, we break down and explain what Rotational grazing is, how it is implemented in Utah and we take you to the range and show you rotational grazing being used in real life. 

 "Usually we find NEPA to be the thorn in our side. And it's historically been really bogged down in bureaucratic red tape and lengthy processes. You know, we have stories in Utah, of NEPA, taking up to 13 years to get done." - Darin Bushman, Piute County Commissioner We discuss the frustration caused by the requirements of NEPA when a county is trying to carry out a project on public lands but it isn't necessarily the fault of any particular agency or even the law. There are also some steps local governments can take to help the NEPA process along. Highlights: 01:18 An overview of NEPA and the different tracks a project might take (Categorical Exclusion, EA, or an EIS)? 09:42 What do delays mean for important projects that impact a community? 17:31 How can independent consulting firms help the agencies and these projects move forward? 

 We are going to talk about the bogeyman in the room property tax something nobody likes but it differs in Utah because of a law called truth in taxation and that's what are discussion is about today. 

This week we are looking at a pilot project taking place on the Tavaputs Plateau that offers another tool for managing fuels on the forest and cutting fire lanes. A private land owner has been treating his own ranch with a technique dubbed roller felling for a decade. The results have been aspen regeneration, more forage for wildlife and a landscape that is less prone to fire.



2020 is on track to set another record for the worst wildfire season with 8 million acres burned as of mid-October.

There is an abundance of fuel on the forest thanks to 100 years of fire suppression and prevention. An abundance of fuel paired with drought has created conditions that ultimately lead to catastrophic fire. We have discussed the need to proactively work on mitigating fuels on the forest in the past.

This private ranch has caught the attention of the Utah legislature and a recent bill that appropriated monies to the state forester to study new methods of fire mitigation.

Our program will highlight the process of roller felling as it was adapted from a technique used to clear a forest for a reservoir. You can read about it here from Popular Mechanics, August 1950 :https://books.google.com/books?id=0dgDAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false


This week's guests discussing the 106 Reforestation Pilot:
• Mike Siaperas: Founder 106 Reforestation
https://106reforest.com/
• Brian Cottam: Utah State Forester & Director of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands

• Darren McAvoy: Extension Assistant Professor of Forestry at Utah State University
https://forestry.usu.edu/contact-us/darren-j-mcavoy
• Mike Fowlks: Director, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
https://naturalresources.utah.gov/dnr-leadership-2
• Tyler Thompson: Watershed Program Dir. Utah Department of Natural Resources
https://naturalresources.utah.gov/dnr-leadership-2

Finding the resources to fill the infinite demands within a community is the problem. Being creative, creating partnerships and having a solid plan is the solution.

This week on the County seat we look at a website that aggregates available funding resources for local governments and how a community funds infrastructure projects. As we take a look at the Funding Finder Website that Jones and DeMille Engineering has put together to help communities find programs that best fit their needs. https://funding.jonesanddemille.com/

Guests this Week:

Brian Barton, President of Jones and DeMille Engineering
Bronson Smart, State Conservation Engineer, NRCS
Bruce Adam, San Juan County Commissioner
Keith Heaton, Director of Community Development - State of Utah

Highlights:

A search engine for grants and loans that's way better than Google

https://youtu.be/FP5xa-9FM0w?t=44
Counties can't wade through all the available programs alone

https://youtu.be/FP5xa-9FM0w?t=674
No need to reinvent the wheel

https://youtu.be/FP5xa-9FM0w?t=978
Money is available to get projects done

https://youtu.be/FP5xa-9FM0w?t=1193