Public input can help move better bills for Utah Lake

In case you wonder if public involvement ever makes a difference in outcomes at the Utah Legislature…

It does! In a legislature that has often demonstrated concern only for their own interests, once in  a while they do seem to listen to an outraged populace. Last week, by a near majority vote, the House put the brakes on a runaway idea that would usher in dredging up 34 fantasy islands in the middle of Utah Lake, supporting the far more reasonable H.B. 240. This change and improvement came because of public pressure, so thank you to all of you that sent a message to your legislators to oppose H.B. 232. 

A Salt Lake Tribune article writes “Utah’s scientific community has raised serious concerns that the project could devastate the 150-square-mile lake, the West’s third-largest freshwater body. Deepening the lake by 7 feet and raising islands would disrupt the lake’s natural ecological function, according to a critique signed by 26 Utah scientists.” We have the same concerns. With dire air quality levels existing already on the Wasatch Front, the last thing we need to put our resources towards is an outlandish, unrealistic project.

H.B. 240 is still being voted on in the Senate, so please call your State Senator and urge them to support is  and oppose H.B. 232 (which would create another “Lake Authority” in the mold of the notorious “Port Authority,” empowered to make critical decisions about the lake without public input or scrutiny). 

Click here to send a message to your State Senators before they vote on H.B. 232 this week!

Read the Tribune coverage here.