H.J.R. 20 Enrolled

             1     

JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE

             2     
OF THE GREAT SALT LAKE

             3     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Larry B. Wiley

             6     
Senate Sponsor: Jerry W. Stevenson

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This joint resolution of the Legislature recognizes the significance of the Great Salt
             11      Lake.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This resolution:
             14          .    recognizes the economic, recreational, and natural significance of the Great Salt
             15      Lake.
             16      Special Clauses:
             17          None
             18     
             19      Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             20          WHEREAS, the Great Salt Lake is an economic powerhouse for Utah's economy;
             21          WHEREAS, the Great Salt Lake provides employment for over 7,000 Utahns and
             22      annually generates over $375 million of labor income;
             23          WHEREAS, the total annual economic contribution of the Great Salt Lake to Utah's
             24      economy is estimated at over $1.3 billion and represents industrial, extractive, recreational, and
             25      other uses;
             26          WHEREAS, the Great Salt Lake's natural beauty has drawn thousands to make artistic
             27      interpretations of its elements, including two landmark earthworks: the Spiral Jetty and the Sun
             28      Tunnels;
             29          WHEREAS, Willard Bay, the Great Salt Lake Marina, Antelope Island State Park, and


             30      the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge draw many visitors who enjoy and recreate on the Great
             31      Salt Lake and its shores;
             32          WHEREAS, in 1843, John C. Fremont surveyed the Great Salt Lake and in 1847, three
             33      days after the pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, Brigham Young visited and swam in the
             34      Great Salt Lake;
             35          WHEREAS, the Great Salt Lake's fabled history includes sails and steamboats;
             36          WHEREAS, the Great Salt Lake has provided a home for beloved resorts, including
             37      Saltair;
             38          WHEREAS, the Great Salt Lake annually attracts thousands of duck hunters, bird
             39      watchers, boaters, tourists, and other outdoor enthusiasts, which contributes to the economies
             40      of surrounding communities;
             41          WHEREAS, products of the brine shrimp harvesting and mineral extraction industries
             42      are sold, and valued, worldwide;
             43          WHEREAS, through the lake effect, the Great Salt Lake contributes to the formation of
             44      the "Greatest Snow on Earth," which plays a critical role in Utah's economy;
             45          WHEREAS, the Great Salt Lake and associated wetlands provide critically important
             46      habitat for brine shrimp, brine flies, and millions of migrating and nesting birds, including
             47      American White Pelicans, American Avocets, Western Sandpipers, White-faced Ibis, and the
             48      world's largest staging population of Wilson's Phalarope;
             49          WHEREAS, the associated wetlands of the Great Salt Lake provide essential habitat for
             50      fish, mammals, Bald Eagles, large populations of ducks and geese, and additional large wildlife
             51      species in many freshwater bays;
             52          WHEREAS, the multiple economic, industrial, recreational, and ecological demands on
             53      the Great Salt Lake present a challenge for management of this important natural resource;
             54          WHEREAS, the Great Salt Lake is a diverse and complex ecosystem, aspects of which
             55      are not fully analyzed or understood, and few numerical standards exist to measure impacts
             56      upon the lake;
             57          WHEREAS, recent studies of the economic benefits and the ecological health of the


             58      lake, as well as the updated Comprehensive Management Plan for the Great Salt Lake, have
             59      been added to the knowledge base and informed efforts to balance the multiple interests in the
             60      lake while providing for its long-term management;
             61          WHEREAS, the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands, the Great Salt Lake
             62      Advisory Council, and the scientific community have developed a long, prioritized list of
             63      future scientific studies of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem;
             64          WHEREAS, the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands, the Great Salt Lake
             65      Advisory Council, and the scientific community have recommended the development of an
             66      integrated Water Resources Management Model for the Great Salt Lake to better understand
             67      the impacts that consumptive use will have on the Great Salt Lake and to provide a predictive
             68      tool for evaluating mitigation measures; and
             69          WHEREAS, the Great Salt Lake is a symbol of our community and state that is
             70      recognized throughout the world:
             71          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
             72      recognizes the economic, recreational, and natural significance of the Great Salt Lake.
             73          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah
             74      Department of Natural Resources and the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council.


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