EEU Policy Brief #1

Author Professor Gabriel Lozada has put together a research brief on Debt Repayment Obligations Created by the Proposed Bear River Development Project summarizing the findings of a report that was commissioned by U.S. Magnesium to ascertain what expenses the northern Utah cities slated to receive water from proposed Bear River Development (BRD) would have to pay in return. The analysis presented in this brief and report makes comparisons between the costs of water from the BRD and the costs of other available water supplies in Northern Utah.

Key findings include:

• If all four water conservancy districts participated in the proposed Bear River Development in the near future, none of these agencies would be able to make their annual debt payments for the project given their current net revenues.
• Result of the report suggests that each of the four water conservancy districts would likely have to carefully weigh whether or not they should opt out of the Bear River Development. If one water conservancy district opts to not participate in the co-financing of Bear River Development, it may shift the burden of costs to other remaining water conservancy districts.

Read the full policy brief:  Debt Repayment Obligations Created by the Proposed Bear River Development Project