The Great Salt Lake is shrinking rapidly and Utah has failed to stop it, a new lawsuit says
By JESSE BEDAYN
Associated Press/Report for America
A coalition of environmental groups is suing Utah’s government, saying the state has failed to stop the Great Salt Lake from shrinking at an alarming pace. Organizations including the Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity say that upstream water has been diverted for decades to farmers growing alfalfa, hay and other crops, as well as new development and industry. The groups say low lake levels threaten to harm wildlife and release toxic dust into the air. The groups want a court to step in and force the state to let more water reach the lake. A spokesperson for Utah Gov. Spencer Cox declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation.
