Utah State Rep. Keven Stratton and activist group Conserve Utah Valley will host the Utah Lake Summit on Jan. 11.

“There are so many who feel an intense stewardship for this body of water,” Craig Christensen, the executive director of Conserve Utah Valley, said in a press release. “Our group is energized to add our voice to support the lake’s recovery cycle and protect its important ecosystems.”

This summit will explore the legal, ecological and economic considerations surrounding Utah Lake and potential restoration efforts that could be made.

Members of the public are invited to attend the summit, which will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Science Building Auditorium at Utah Valley University.

“This lake is a treasure and with the growth coming to this area, we need to explore and implement viable sound solutions,” Stratton said in a press release. “I’m eager to have our residents understand the fine work and thought going toward making the lake what we want it to be — an asset to our quality of life for generations to come.”

Stratton serves as chair of the Utah House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee in addition to being a member of the Legislative Water Development Commission.

The summit will include a presentation from Stratton entitled “Just the Facts: Water and Legislature (HB272)”; a presentation from Benjamin Abbott, assistant professor of ecosystem ecology at Brigham Young University and member of the Conserve Utah Valley advisory board, entitled “Utah Lake, an Ecosystem in Recovery”; panels on water quality and algal blooms as well as economic and ecologic considerations for Utah Lake; and a discussion and question-and-answer session.

“The Utah Lake ecosystem is vital to the health of Utah Valley, the Great Salt Lake, and the entire region,” Abbott said in a press release. “There are many good efforts underway that are already improving the lake ecosystems. We want people to know more about that.”

This summit follows a letter distributed Dec. 29 and signed by more than 100 scientists, many members of Conserve Utah Valley, expressing concern over the 2018 Utah Lake Amendments (House Bill 272) and the Utah Lake Restoration Project, a proposal to dredge the lake to build man-made islands.

According to a press release, Stratton has opened a bill file to examine potential amendments to HB 272. “Amendments that provide clarity, accountability, and transparency to the process,” stated the press release.

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