The House and Senate last week unanimously passed HJR1, which calls for all ongoing scientific studies to be completed before the state enters into an agreement with Nevada to share groundwater resources along the state line. But a Salt Lake City Democrat introduced a bill Tuesday that would require Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. to live up to the requirements of the resolution.

Rep. Jackie Biskupski's proposed statute didn't make it through its first committee meeting without losing some teeth.

Language requiring the governor to comply with the resolution was stripped, though the House committee left intact a provision for a legislative advisory committee to monitor Utah's negotiating efforts with Nevada.

Even so, Biskupski believes the watered-down bill still can deliver the message that, essentially, lawmakers are less than willing to take Huntsman at his word when he says he will protect water rights in Utah's West Desert.

"The people of the West Desert do not believe their interests are being looked out for," Biskupski said following the hearing.

Utah and Nevada have been negotiating a groundwater sharing agreement since last spring. A deal is necessary for the Southern Nevada Water Authority to tap Snake Valley wells on the Nevada side of the line as part of a massive multi-billion dollar project that would ship groundwater to Las Vegas via a pipeline network.

Mike Styler, director of the Department of Natural Resources has said - and reiterated Tuesday - that a deal with Nevada probably would precede completion of federal studies. However, he said, the agreement can be crafted so it is "adaptive" to scientific results.

Millard County commissioner John Cooper wasn't buying.

"We were confident that if the resolution was abided by, our concerns would be addressed. But that isn't the case," he said, calling Styler's proposal "alarming."

jbaird@sltrib.com

HB422

Would set up legislative monitoring of water deal.

Next step: Goes to the full House.