Utah Lake islands for restoration or real estate?

There have been so many developments in the Utah Lake islands saga! The legislature passed HB240 requiring more oversight of the island's process, but they also passed HB232, the Utah Lake Authority, which will completely shake up lake governance. LRS has kicked their advertising campaign into high gear, while continuing to harass any journalists (including students) who reports on their project. The lawsuit marches on, and I've finally learned how to spell subpoena.

I don't have time this week to cover everything, but I wanted to link to some recent news coverage and cross post an article I wrote for Conserve Utah Valley (CUV) earlier this week. To stay up to date, I recommend signing up for CUV's updates and joining the Utah Lake Restoration Project-Reality page on Facebook.

Memes for today's post courtesy of Jeff and Lorette Beck's Utah Lake Monetization Project

While LRS has been busy with paid advertising (billboards, video spots, sponsored articles, and even internet radio ads), there has been a lot of independent reporting on the project. Here are some recent articles and podcasts on the lake:

1. The scientific community has released fives sets of documents on the project:
1. An overview of the Utah Lake ecosystem, including its history, current status, and potential futures (Jul 29 2022): Getting to know the Utah Lake Ecosystem
2. A public letter of warning about the content of the proposal and the tactics of LRS (Dec. 29 2021): Island proposal could severely damage Utah Lake
3. A magazine adaptation of the Getting to Know the Utah Lake Ecosystem article above with photos from community members (Feb. 7 2022): Utah Lake: An Ecosystem in Recovery
4. A review of LRS's Army Corps application (Feb. 14 2022): Utah Lake island application lacks restoration plan and fails to demonstrate benefits or need
5. An overview of comments to the Army Corps about LRS's application (May 16 2022): Utah Lake island application draws questions and criticism from across the country
2. The most in-depth journalism has been done by Brian Maffly, Leia Larsen, and their colleagues at the Salt Lake Tribune:
1. Jan. 20 2018: Known for toxic algae, Utah Lake could become a housing development for half a million people
2. Feb. 21 2018: Lawmakers back giving developers parts of Utah Lake for an island subdivision — in exchange for fixing the polluted lake’s many problems
3. Aug. 5 2021: Utah Lake can be saved without massive dredging sought by developers, experts say
4. Dec. 7 2021: Will EPA help fund Utah Lake island-building project?
5. Jan. 19 2022: Utah Lake dredging proponents sue BYU professor who criticized project
6. Feb. 1 2022: Artificial islands as real estate? The murky finances behind the Utah Lake Restoration project
7. Feb. 2 2022: Facing $3 million lawsuit, scientist countersues Utah Lake's would-be dredgers
8. Feb. 2 2022: Federal docs give first look at Utah Lake plan to build islands for real estate
9. Feb. 12 2022: Company experts say dredging Utah Lake will be its salvation. Here's why critics oppose the project
10. Feb. 23 2022: Utah lawmakers move to tighten requirements for Utah Lake island real estate project
11. Feb. 17 2022: Proposed Utah Lake Authority sails through House committee, but faced some public criticism
12. Mar. 8 2022: Would Utah Lake dredging really increase Utah's water supply? Don't bet on it.
13. Mar. 28 2022: Would dredging Utah Lake upset a century of peace over water rights?
14. Mar. 31 2022: How Utah Lake once sustained tribes and Mormon pioneers and why it needs help
15. Jun. 8 2022: Facing $3 million lawsuit, dredging foe files ‘anti-SLAPP’ action
16. Aug. 9 2022: Polling shows strong support for Utah Lake dredging, but critics say the survey is biased
17. Aug. 17 2022: The Utah Lake dredging proposal is not legal, officials tell lawmakers
18. Oct. 13 2022: Army Corps pauses Utah Lake dredging permit, citing lack of documentation supporting the project
19. Oct. 27 2022: Utah Lake dredging project rejected by Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands
20. Dec. 6 2022: Utah Lake’s would-be dredgers demand controversial island project be reinstated
21. Jan. 12 2023: Plan to dredge Utah Lake isn’t sunk. Developers sue the state to revive it.
22. Jun. 14 2023: Plan to dredge Utah Lake islands appears dead as developer dissolves business
23. July 14th 2023: With Utah Lake dredging project sunk, Lake Restoration Solutions files for bankruptcy
24. July 17th 2023: Lake Restoration Solutions files for bankruptcy
25. Aug. 4th 2023: Utah Lake dredging CEO paid himself thousands before stiffing scientist, attorneys and consultants
26. Oct. 26th 2023: Utah Lake official steps down after he’s asked about letters in support of dredging, gets hired by Vineyard
27. Nov. 8th 2023: A Utah Lake dredging critic got dragged into a lawsuit with a private company. Did he also lose a public grant?
28. Feb. 1st 2024: Lawmakers turn to Utah Lake to help rescue Great Salt Lake. Will dredging be part of the solution?
3. The Daily Herald has done some excellent coverage on the project, with most articles by Genelle Pugmire and Ashtyn Asay:
1. Dec. 7 2021: Plan to restore Utah Lake met with resistance from Utah County conservation groups 
2. Dec. 30 2021: More than a hundred ecologists, engineers and environmental scientists sign letter denouncing Utah Lake proposal
3. Jan. 12 2022: Utah Lake Summit provides insight on body’s future
4. Feb. 10 2022: Vineyard gets first look at Utah Lake restoration project 
5. Feb. 25 2022: Stratton, Conserve Utah Valley hold town hall after House vote
6. Mar. 18 2022: Utah Lake Restoration Project must complete Environmental Impact Statement
7. Apr. 16 2022: Documents probe Vineyard letter supporting Utah Lake Restoration Project
8. May 5 2022: Local leaders reconvene for second Utah Lake Summit
9. Jun. 11 2022: Benjamin Abbott files anti-SLAPP motion against Lake Restoration Solutions
10. Jun. 11 2022: BYU professor presents '7 more problems' with Utah Lake Restoration Project
11. Aug. 17 2022: Environmental group polls show lack of support for Utah Lake Restoration Project
12. Aug. 19 2022: Utah Lake Restoration Project called ‘not legally sound’ by state agency director
13. Aug. 23 2022: Utah Valley Earth Forum to host public panel on Utah Lake restoration efforts
14. Aug. 24 2022: UVEF hosts public forum on Utah Lake restoration efforts
15. Oct. 27 2022: State agency cancels Utah Lake island proposal from Lake Restoration Solutions
16. Dec. 13 2022: Denial of Vineyard records request the subject of state committee hearing
17. Dec. 17 2022: Records committee: Vineyard appropriately handled GRAMA requests
18. Jan. 13 2023: Lake Restoration Solutions sues Utah over canceled plan to dredge Utah Lake
19. Jan. 25 2023: Judge tosses Utah Lake dredger’s defamation suit against scientist, ruling it abused the legal system
20. Jun. 14 2023: Proposal to build islands in Utah Lake seemingly over as company dissolves
21. Jun. 26 2023: Literary compilation seeks to highlight, celebrate Utah Lake
22. Aug. 4 2023: Utah Lake dredging CEO paid himself thousands before stiffing scientist, attorneys and consultants
23. Oct. 25 2023: Utah Lake official steps down after he’s asked about letters in support of dredging, gets hired by Vineyard
24. Oct. 27 2023: Family won’t donate land after Utah Lake island plan would have put road through property
25. Nov. 2 2023: Utah Lake-dredging CEO paid his own son $3,000 for a monthlong internship
26. Nov. 2 2023: An interactive timeline of Lake Restoration Solutions’ attempt to get millions of dollars for its Utah Lake dredging project
27. Nov. 8 2023: A Utah Lake dredging critic got dragged into a lawsuit with a private company. Did he also lose a public grant?
28. Dec. 15 2023: ‘It’s un-American’: Vineyard residents decry changes made by City Council members during their final days in office
29. Jan. 31 2024: Former Utah governor asks, could water in Utah Lake help fill the Great Salt Lake?
30. Feb. 1 2024: Lawmakers turn to Utah Lake to help rescue Great Salt Lake. Will dredging be part of the solution?
31. Feb. 2 2024: Private interests ask for more Utah taxpayer money to ‘roller fell’ forests, lobby against wolves
32. Feb. 16 2024: Lawmakers move forward to repeal legislation that would have allowed Utah Lake island development
33. Feb. 28 2024: Could a bill to study Utah Lake end up supporting a reservoir in the Great Salt Lake?
4. Kyle Dunphey, Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Benoît Morenne, and others at the Deseret News have run several pieces on the lake. At the rally at the Capitol, I accidentally hugged Kyle when I saw him (I thought he was someone I knew personally), but as far as I know, that hasn't unduly influenced his coverage too severely: 
1. Jan. 9 2018: Group proposes cleanup, island city at Utah Lake
2. Oct. 20 2021: Is it really time to build islands on Utah Lake?
3. Oct. 22 2021: Man-made islands could change Utah Lake forever. Here are 6 things you need to know
4. Jan. 14 2022: What does the future hold for Utah Lake development, ecosystem?
5. Jan. 20 2022: The contentious debate over the future of Utah Lake heats up as developer sue critic
6. Feb. 1 2022: BYU professor pushed back on allegations of defamation from Utah Lake developers
7. Feb. 12 2022: Opposition mounting against Utah Lake project, developers say 'trust is gained over time'
8. Feb. 26 2022: 2 bills lawmakers say will steer Utah Lake toward a cleaner future gaining steam in legislature
9. Aug. 8 2022: Dredging up the past
10. Aug. 25 2022: After state strikes island idea, what’s next in the effort to restore Utah Lake?
11. Oct. 27 2022: State rejects massive project to dredge Utah Lake and build islands
12. Jun. 14 2023: Utah Lake island project sinks after company behind proposal dissolves
5. BYU's student paper, the Daily Universe has run a series of articles on the lake and the project:
1. Jan 10 2022: BYU environmental advocates take stand against Utah Lake development
2. Feb. 1 2022: BYU professor named defendant in defamation lawsuit, says suit has implications for future of Utah Lake 
3. Feb. 7 2022: Utahns rally on Capitol Hill to protest Utah Lake development
4. Feb. 11 2022: Utah Lake Restoration Project under federal review to evaluate environmental impact 
5. Mar. 9 2022: Community project to revive Vineyard wetlands put on hold
6. Utah Business has also run four pieces that I found succinct and informative (Rachel Dalrymple, Jennifer Alsever, and Samuel Walker):
1. Dec. 10 2021: Utah is building the largest artificial islands in the world
2. Feb. 15 2022: How should we decide the fate of Utah Lake?
3. Jun. 3 2022: Will human-made islands improve Utah Lake—or will it become “the Dubai of Utah?
4. Oct. 25 2022: Utah Lake building project moves forward as the public remains divided.
7. There have been four podcasts covering the drama:
1. Doug Fabrizio at Radio West did a two-part series on the lake and the island project:
1. Feb. 24 2022: The Past, Present and Future of Utah Lake: Part I
2. Mar. 10 2022: The Past, Present and Future of Utah Lake: Part II
2. Jeff Beck hosted local community experts Peggy and Rich on his podcast Left of the Lake:
1. Jul. 21 2022: Islands in Utah Lake Part I
2. Jul. 28 2022: Islands in Utah Lake Part II
3. Jan. 5 2023: Ben Abbott and the Utah Lake Island Project
3. Conserve Utah Valley's Utah Lake Update has provided quick snippets over the past year:
1. Jan. 28 2022: A Lake in Recovery
2. Jan. 31 2022: Islands on the Lake
3. Feb. 16 2022: Utah Lake Authority (HB 232)
4. Feb. 16 2022: The Legislators are Listening (HB 240)
5. Nov. 14 2022: Can I Take Down My Yard Sign? 
6. Nov. 14 2022: Post-Island Utah Lake
4. BYU's Constant wonder (Aug. 23 2023): More Love for a Big Lake That's Often Belittled
8. There have also been several written pieces across other platforms:
1. Associated Press and KSL (May 20 2018): Academics skeptical of Utah Lake 'island city' proposal 
2. abc4.com (Dec. 8 2021): Islands in Utah Lake? Maybe, now that a restoration project has been waitlisted for an EPA loan
3. KSL (Jan. 14 2022; this is the article that broke the lawsuit story. It originally had the misleading title that included "sued for false statements", but they updated the headline): BYU assistant professor sued for statements about Utah Lake project
4. KSL (Feb. 3 2022): Developer discusses plan to revive, restore Utah Lake
5. abc4.com (Mar. 16 2022): U.S. Army Corps accelerates Utah Lake Restoration
6. The Center Square (Jul. 8 2022): Tug of war over water conservation in Utah
7. KUTV (Aug. 17 2022): Utah Lake islands plan 'unconstitutional' and legally unsound, official tells lawmakers
8. KSL (Aug. 22 2022): $6B Utah Lake restoration project is 'unconstitutional,' state report finds
9. KSL (Aug. 24 2022): After state strikes island idea, what's next in the effort to restore Utah Lake?
10. KSL (Dec. 7 2022): Developer behind Utah Lake islands project appeals state's decision to scrap application
11. The Real Deal (Dec. 11 2022): Utah company to appeal state pulling plug on $6B lake proposal
12. Fox 13 (Jan. 12 2023): Lawsuit filed over Utah Lake islands project
13. Fox 13 (Feb. 4 2023): State wants Utah Lake islands lawsuit thrown out
14. Adventure.com (Jun. 14 2023): The case of Marker Wadden: Can humans build islands that live up to the healing powers of nature?
15. KSL News Radio (Feb. 19 2024): Bill regarding a controversial, failed Utah Lake project advances
16. KSL (Mar. 1 2024): Lawmakers repeal last component of Utah Lake island plan, call for new study
9. It's harder to compile the radio coverage, but there has been pretty frequent coverage on KSL, and Aimee Van Tatenhove and her colleagues at Utah Public Radio (UPR) and KUER have done a nice series of interviews and pieces on the lake:
1. KUER (Jan. 11 2022): A storm is brewing over the future of Utah Lake
2. UPR (Jan. 24 2022): A deep dive into Utah Lake: Part 1
3. KSL news radio (Feb. 1 2022): BYU professor files countersuit against Utah Lake developer
4. KSL Dave & Dujanovic (Feb. 2 2022): Interview with Jon Benson
5. UPR (Feb. 04 2022): Public comment period open for permit application to dredge Utah Lake
6. UPR (Feb. 10 2022): A deep dive into Utah Lake: Part 2
7. UPR (Feb. 10 2022): Utah Lake amendments bill passes in committee
8. Rod Arquette (Feb. 16 2022): Interview with Jon Benson
9. UPR (Mar. 04 2022): New website to increase public involvement with proposed Utah Lake project
10. KUER (May 5 2022): Utah Lake's June Sucker is threatened and this project hopes to put its house back in order
11. KSL at Night (May 11 2022): Taylor Morgan & Maura Carabello interview Greg Hughes
12. The Daily Buzz (Jun. 9 2022): What to know about the Utah Lake anti-SLAPP lawsuit
13. KSL news radio (Aug. 8 2022): Poll shows support in Utah County for the Utah Lake Restoration Project
14. KUER (Aug. 18 2022): State Agency calls Utah Lake Restoration project 'unconstitutional' and 'a risk'
15. KSL news radio (Aug. 18 2022): Utah Lake restoration called “unconstitutional” by state agency
16. UPR (Aug. 22 2022): Utah Lake island-building proposal deemed unconstitutional by state
17. UPR (Oct. 14 2022): Scientist says Utah Lake shows how a community can protect the environment
18. KSL news radio (Oct. 27 2022): Utah Lake restoration application canceled by Division of Forestry
19. Dave & Dujanovic (Nov. 2 2022): Utah Lake restoration project pulled
20. KSL news radio (Dec. 7 2022): Lake Restoration Solutions in legal battle over Utah Lake
21. UPR (Feb. 19 2024): Western states in favor of conservation and new legislation supports Utah Lake
10. I don't watch as much TV (how do you even watch TV nowadays?), but there has been some good coverage, especially by Ben Winslow at Fox13:
1. KSL (Jan. 10 2018): Group wants to build island city on Utah Lake to combat pollution
2. abc4utah (Jan. 10 2018): Development group seeks to build an island city in the middle of Utah Lake
3. abc4utah (Aug. 3 17 2021): Researchers are holding an emergency symposium on Utah Lake
4. Fox 13 (Dec. 6 2021): Utah Lake on shortlist for nearly $1 billion in federal funds
5. Fox 13 (Feb. 2 2022): Plans to build islands in Utah Lake as part of restoration project move forward
6. abc4utah (Feb. 7 2022): Protest against developers making islands on Utah Lake
7. Fox 13 (Feb. 7 2022): Demonstrators rally at Capitol Hill to protest plans for Utah Lake restoration project
8. Fox 13 (Feb. 8 2022): Bill regulating Utah Lake dredging passes through House committee
9. abc4utah (Feb. 24 2022): Push back on Utah Lake dredging project
10. Fox 13 (May 16 2022): The future of Utah Lake
11. abc4utah (Aug. 8 2022): New poll divides Utahns over Utah Lake
12. Fox 13 (Aug. 17 2022): Utah Lake proposed dredging plan stopped in its tracks
13. KUTV (Aug. 18 2022): Opponents of Utah Lake islands project feel emboldened after legal issues revealed
14. Fox 13 (Oct. 27 2022): Utah Lake islands project is rejected by state officials
15. Fox 13 (Dec. 5 2022): Company appeals state rejection of Utah Lake islands project
16. Fox 13 (Jan. 11 2023): Utah again rejects Utah Lake islands project
17. Fox 13 (May 30 2023): Judge to decide fate of Utah Lake islands project
18. Fox 13 (Jun. 5 2023): Judge issues split ruling in lawsuit over Utah Lake islands project
19. Fox 13 (Jun. 14 2023): Utah Lake islands project likely dead after company dissolves
20. abc4utah (Feb. 21 2024): Bill linked to controversial Utah Lake islands project on track to be repealed
11. Governor Cox has held two press conferences that addressed LRS's proposal. In both, he repeated LRS talking points:
1. Feb. 17 2022: Comparing Utah Lake to the Great Salt Lake
2. Aug. 18 2022: Addressing FFSL's announcement that LRS's project was unconstitutional
12. There have been some online videos created on the project:
1. The TikTok influencer and lake conservationist Geodesaurus made this informative 3-minute overview of the lake island controversy (Mar. 27 2022): Utah Lake artificial islands 🏝 ??
2. BYU graduate and documentary filmmaker Leika Patch put together this powerful piece (Apr. 12 2022): Utah Lake an ecosystem in recovery 
3.  Angela Smith choreographed this stunning dance film about the lake (May 11 2022): A time for action
4. The far right group We ARE the People did a long-format post mortem on the project (Aug 16 2023): What really happened to the Islands at Utah Lake!?!
13. There have been a lot of diverse op-eds over the past few years: 
1. My favorite by a long shot is from Jon Benson, LRS president. Whenever I start feeling down about the lawsuit or the crazy project, I read this one for reassurance that there is humor and brightness in the world (Jan. 24 2022): Opinion: Utah Lake project welcomes constructive criticism
2. George Handley wrote this response to Jon's op-ed (Feb. 6 2022): The myth of the irreparable Utah Lake
3. The Salt Lake Tribune published this editorial (Feb. 25 2018): The dream of building an island on Utah Lake is a squishy reality — at best
4. Robert Scott, an LRS original who was the general manager of design and planning on the failed Palm Deira project in Dubai wrote this classic (Mar. 3 2018): There’s still time to turn back the clock on Utah Lake
5. Former LRS "creator and project director" Ben Parker wrote this (Mar. 4 2018): Massive project is needed to save Utah Lake
6. I wrote this piece with BYU environmental geology professor and Yale Law student Andrew Follett on the history and future of the lake (Mar. 8 2018): The present, future and past of Utah Lake 
7. Andrew Follett and I followed up the sciencey post with this piece on the cultural aspects of the project (Mar. 10 2018): Keep Utah Lake shallow and wet
8. A graduate student from Logan named Toph Cottle wrote this pro-island piece (Jul. 22 2021): Congress should allow the clean-up of Utah Lake 
9. Don Jarvis and I wrote this piece about good intentions (Dec. 2 2021): 'Bear service' at Utah Lake
10. Christopher Smart wrote this short (if somewhat inaccurate) gem (Dec. 15 2021): Islands in Utah Lake could be built on B.S. 
11. Adam Stevenson wrote this moving personal and philosophical article in The Utah Monthly (Dec. 19 2021): In Defense of Utah Lake
12. Joel Campbell wrote this piece from a legal perspective (Jan. 21 2022): Opinion: Don’t let Utah Lake project muzzle criticism
13. Joel Kester wrote this simple but touching letter (Jan. 21 2022): Letter: Why can’t enough people see the nonmonetary value of Utah Lake?
14. Local author John Bennion wrote this clear opinion (Jan. 26 2022):  Guest op-ed: Dubai islands in Utah Lake — a dubious project
15. Another Jarvis-Abbott team-up (Jan. 28 2022): Guest op-ed: Don't Pave Utah Lake?
16. This one by Jon is not nearly as funny, but is still worth reading as it encapsulates the fundamental false premise of their proposition (Feb. 9 2022): Guest opinion: The threat of doing nothing on Utah Lake
17. Nathan Thompson from Conserve Utah Valley wrote this Onion-style article (Feb 14 2022): Alternative Solutions for Utah Lake
18. Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment wrote this blog post (Feb. 15 2022): Company experts say dredging Utah Lake will be its salvation. Here's why critics oppose the project.
19. Jon Benson wrote this revealing op-ed about asserting that only he can help the lake (Feb. 17 2022): The question is, ‘Who will pay for Utah Lake to be restored?’
20. Babs Delay wrote this piece in Urban Living (Feb. 23 2022): Utaw Lake
21. "Webscareme" posted this on Reddit (Mar. 30 2022)
22. Ph.D. ecologist Tara Bishop responded with this cutting retort, comparing LRS's behavior to an abusive relationship (Apr. 7 2022): Who will pay for Utah Lake to be destroyed?
23. Jim Harris wrote this effective and short letter to the editor (Feb. 24 2022): Let's not spend billions to turn Utah Lake into a Disneyesque theme park
24. BYU law student Brittany Thorley wrote this clear opinion (Mar. 10 2022): One reason why I'll never support the Utah Lake islands project
25. LRS advocate Daniela Larsen of the Hutchings Museum in Lehi wrote this defense of the proposal (Mar. 16 2022): Let science and facts determine future of Utah Lake
26. Another BYU student, Danny Dudley, wrote this fiery piece (Mar. 23 2022): THE UTAH LAKE EXPLOITATION PROJECT
27. Bennion added this critique of the project from his perspective as an English professor (Apr. 7 2022): Arguments for dredging Utah Lake don't hold up
28. Tessa Scheuer wrote this thoughtful piece on the impacts of the island city on birds (May 19 2022): Have we considered the birds in the Utah Lake Restoration Project?
29. Nathan Thompson followed up his satirical blog post with this gem (May 23 2023): Alternative Solutions for Utah Lake-Round Two!
30. Maddie Mulford of Rowland Hall wrote this blog post with the memorable line, "Save the lake, don't pave the lake" (Jun. 2 2022): Save Utah Lake: Bad for the environment, bad for residents, bad for business
31. Mapleton resident Fred Murray wrote this direct letter (Jul. 16 2022): Thoughts and facts about LRS’s plan on Utah Lake
32. Saratoga Springs resident Teri Lynn Harman wrote this compelling letter (Jun. 19 2022): Lake Restoration Solutions is taking advantage of old lies about Utah Lake
33. Harman's letter inspired this piece by Marilyn Marshal (Jun. 26 2022): Utah Lake islands plan is an environmental disaster waiting to happen
34. BYU professor Shawn Miller wrote this piece about why we can't afford to give up any of Utah Lake (Jul. 26 2022): What we stand to lose if we give up ground on Utah Lake
35. Jim Westwater, one of the original defenders of Utah Lake and the chair of the Utah Valley Earth Forum wrote this piece for the Daily Herald and Salt Lake Tribune (Jul. 30 2022; Aug. 3 2022): Developer’s plan for Utah Lake threatens to be an ‘unmitigated disaster’
36. Jonathan D. Hepworth wrote this self-explanatory piece (Aug. 12 2022): What do Utah Lake, human-made islands, and an earthquake equal? Disaster
37. Roger Williams from Provo wrote this succinct and misguided recommendation to use LRS's money to build a pipeline from the Pacific (Aug. 25 2022): A new proposal for Utah Lake's future
38. Brigham Daniels and Andrew Follett wrote this legal analysis of FFSL's decision to reject the project (Nov. 3 2022): Utah was on firm legal ground rejecting Utah Lake project
39. John Bennion wrote this cautionary op-ed to keep people vigilant (Jan. 12 2023): Watch that Utah Lake scheme doesn’t come back
40. Joel Kester wrote this postmortem on the project, urging lawmakers to look to the future (Jan. 18 2023): Let’s shift focus to the millions of gallons of sewage flowing into Utah Lake
14. And I suppose the blogpost wouldn't be complete without the links to LRS's paid content (here is their own media page):
1. Nugent Good News (Dec. 27 2021): Restoring Utah Lake
2. abc4 Good Things Utah (Feb. 2 2022): The biggest water restoration project in Utah's history needs your support
3. Fresh Living (Feb. 9 2022): Utah Lake Restoration proposition
4. abc4 The Daily Dish (Mar. 22 2022): One step closer to cleaning Utah Lake
5. KSL (Mar. 24 2022): Working together to save Utah Lake
6. abc4 Good Things Utah (Apr. 20 2022): How Utah Lake Restoration project is saving 30 billion gallons of water every year
7. Studio 5 (Apr. 27 2022): Here's how one group plans to restore Utah Lake to its former beauty
8. Fox 13 The Place (May 03 2022): The Utah Lake Restoration Project is a plan to restore and improve Utah Lake
9. KUTV Fresh Living (May 03 2022): Update on the Utah Lake Restoration Project
10. KUTV Fresh Living (Jul. 6 2022): Potential changes coming to Utah Lake
11. Fox 13 The Place (Jul. 6 2022): Don't swim in Utah Lake!

Finally, here is the blog post I wrote for CUV about LRS's fundraising materials (original link here):

Fundraising materials show primary objective of islands is for revenue generation, not restoration

The people behind the proposal to build the world’s largest dredged islands in Utah Lake describe themselves as conservationists. However, recently revealed fundraising materials from the group tell a different story. Dated June 2021, the document described in this Salt Lake Tribune article has now been provided to Conserve Utah Valley by a whistleblower that Lake Restoration Solutions (LRS) tried to recruit. 

Because we believe our community deserves to know what the developers are telling their investors about this project that would fundamentally reshape the future of Utah Valley, we are attaching the fundraising materials at the bottom of this blog post. The document includes important details about the financial structure of the real estate venture and some specifics about the proposed work. 

Following the Money 

The public front of the island project is a limited liability company called LRS, but the fundraising materials reveal the financing is being funneled through a limited partnership (LP) called the Utah Lake Development Fund. This LP consists of two main partners: Foresight Wealth Management and Prospera Growth Fund. These partners would collect investments from extremely wealthy “Qualified Clients.” Based on their estimates, these investments would yield a 1.95 to 3.0-fold net return within 4 to 5 years. 

The document includes several letters of support, including a letter from the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development committing a $10 million legislative appropriation for an LRS loan guarantee. This letter was dated October 2020, during the tenure of former Governor Gary Herbert. Additional letters show that Prospera committed $15 million, and Foresight committed $10 million to LRS to initiate the project. The most surprising letter comes from the mayor of Vineyard city, Julie Fullmer, who “appropriates $5,000,000 cash or cash reserves to be used for eligible approved project related costs.” The city council of Vineyard was not aware of this commitment, and it remains unclear if Mayor Fullmer had the authority to legally sign the letter. 

Accelerated Timeline  

Though LRS has repeatedly told the public that the start of work is years away, this document reveals they intend to start dredging in the summer of 2023 and selling land in May of 2025. The project’s “Phase 1” consists of a series of islands just off the shoreline from Vineyard, American Fork, Lehi, and Saratoga Springs. The first island would be called “American Fork Island” and would have around 60 lots ranging from half-acre to 7-acre estates. LRS claims that they have land purchase commitments for around 70% of the Phase-1 land—nearly 2,500 acres. 

In contrast with LRS’s public statements that land sales would occur only after completion of restoration, this document states that “Importantly, Phase 1’s outcome is not dependent on LRS’s future phases.” Because Phase 1 consists almost entirely of development land, this means that LRS could build and sell approximately 3,000 acres without providing any restoration benefit to the lake or creating recreation or wildlife islands for the community. According to the per-acre price estimates in the document, the land sales in Phase 1 could generate $1.95 billion in revenue for LRS.

10% For the Environment 

LRS writes, “Of the ~20,000 acres created, 16,508 acres are intended as development land. The remaining 3,500 acres will be recreation and estuary islands for environmental and public-use purposes.” LRS’s Army Corps application further reduces the recreation and estuary islands to only 10% of the overall acreage (see this independent evaluation of their application here). 

Foresight’s commitment letter indicates that LRS has the “intent of selling the real property for private development and municipal management.” This means that while LRS has been telling the public that only 50% of the new land would be privatized, they will be able to sell 90% or more of the island area. Using LRS’s upper estimates of land value ($650K an acre), the sovereign land that would be transferred from the people of Utah to their company would be worth $10.7 billion. 

The budget summary that LRS provides raises additional questions about their priorities. Now that the Provo Bay portion of Phase 1 has been cut and the recreation islands have been reduced, only $1.1 billion is earmarked for “restoration,” though even this number includes activities that would be better described as project damage mitigation. Most of this “restoration” work would be financed with the $893 million federal loan LRS is seeking from the EPA.

Questionable Claims 

Like all their public documents released to date, LRS provides very little to no detail about how they would deliver the described benefits. For example, LRS claims that the project would save 34 to 40 billion gallons of water by reducing evaporation and increasing the lake’s storage capacity by 40%. However, water managers and hydrologists have questioned these claims, forcing LRS to admit that these numbers were largely made up. In this interview, LRS president Jon Benson said, “Of all the numbers that are preliminary, that’s the most preliminary.” Likewise, no evidence is provided in this document or the Army Corps application to support the claims that the project would improve circulation, increase water clarity, restore native species, or reduce algal blooms.

See For Yourself 

Here is the link to download and evaluate LRS’s fundraising materials.

Contrasts in the great Utah Lake debate

 This Utah Lake saga has been a dizzying lesson in contrasts.

Restoration vs. reengineering

Data vs. marketing

Volunteers vs. lobbyists

Reality vs. renders

Conservation vs. consumption

Independent coverage vs. paid advertising

Conversation vs. lawsuits

Legacy vs. land grab

Gratitude vs. greed

It was especially clear last night in Salt Lake. 

Pictures by Decker Westenberg of the Daily Universe

Nearly 600 citizens from every walk of life gathered at the capitol to celebrate the lake that sustains us and demand accountability and protection. Mary explained the Indigenous worldview, reminding us to look seven generations back and seven generations forward. Gabe powered the event with bicycles, and Byron led us in song. Children shared their hope for a natural and intact lake ecosystem. Leaders linked arms with the crowd, seeming to understand that we must work together with respect and commitment. Creation is sacred and so much more than what we could sell it for.

At almost the same time, in the Grand America Hotel, the developers wined and dined influential invitees at their closed-door event. Their paid experts explained how no one cared about the lake or knew how to care for it before they arrived. They graciously offered to do the great service of filling in our largest freshwater lake at no cost to taxpayers. The lake is broken they said: too wild, too windy, too wet. Our creator must have made a mistake when making the lake.

The contrast was clear again today in the committee hearing for H.B. 240. 

Representative Keven Stratton proposed modest amendments to the Utah Lake Restoration Act—a law custom built for the island project. Stratton asked for clarifications about how to make the process more transparent, fair, and constitutional. Representative Casey Snider spoke clearly: a company that can’t stand up to scrutiny—that chooses to silence critics with lawsuits rather than answer their questions—isn’t a company we should do business with. During the public comment period, dozens of independent citizens spoke in favor of increasing oversight and exercising prudence and science-based management during these crucial early stages of the lake’s convalescence. The lake is a living thing worthy of our respect and reciprocity. Tara called for all our leaders to learn about the lake’s ecology. Kaye described how she used to waterski across the entire lake—changing course when needed to avoid obstacles. Peggy asked who would be responsible for maintenance and pointed out that the “land” couldn’t be sold without clear title.

One person spoke against the amendments: Jeff Hartley, one of the developers’ many professional lobbyists. He said that one minute wasn’t long enough to describe how misguided and unfair these amendments were. Despite the common-sense nature of the bill, 6 of the 13 representatives sided with Hartley. They said it would be unfair to move the goalposts during the game. The developers have held more than 100 closed-doors meetings, and it wouldn’t be right to clarify the conditions they agreed to at this point. Who else would want to “invest” in the lake if they weren’t sure they could get their money out of it?

I know a few. 4 Abbott kids, more than 50 cousins, 117 experts, 563 citizens at the capitol, 6,000 petition signers, and soon all 14 generations of Natives and newcomers in this valley.

The vote count was 6 for and 6 against when it came to Keven.

“Does the bill sponsor vote for these amendments?”

“Damn right I do.”

Utah Lake: our sacred trust

This morning, we held a press conference at Utah Lake on the LRS lawsuit. The live stream recording is accessible on Conserve Utah Valley’s Facebook page here. Several of my students, both my parents, and friends and acquaintances gathered in support. James Flaming Eagle Mooney and his entourage pronounced a blessing on all in attendance. My fabulous lawyers, Whit Krogue from RQN and Adam Alba from MCG then gave a primer on free speech and the contents of our answer to the lawsuit.

Adam and Whit set the stage.

Isabella Errigo read a message from Chief Executive Mary Meyer from the Timpanogos Nation, who was unfortunately quarantined with sick family. Andrew South then spoke about the engineering and economics of mega projects like this, followed by Elisabeth Currit reading a message from George Handley on our responsibility and expectations. Carol-Lyn Jardine then spoke about the efforts of Conserve Utah Valley and the broader Utah Lake Conservation Coalition, including the rally this upcoming Monday (don’t miss it!). I usually don’t like to read from a script, but this time, I felt I should write down exactly what I wanted to say. Here is what I read (photos courtesy of Jared Tamez and Jeff Beck):

I am so grateful for these community leaders who have given their time today to share their wisdom, experiences, and opinions about Utah Lake. I am also grateful to all those reporting on these issues and all those following along at home or at work. The biggest thing I’ve learned from this experience is that the vast majority of our community and leaders are well intentioned and want a bright future for Utah Valley and the lake at its center.

Whit on the fundamental importance of free speech.

A vibrant, free society depends on the open exchange of ideas, transparency in government, reliable information, and freedom of speech. Public disagreements and hard questions are needed at every step of big decisions about our community. I’m hard pressed to think of a bigger decision than the future of Utah Lake. Depending on how you think of it, this is a 150 square mile decision or a 30,000-year decision looking back to the Pleistocene origins of this unique water body.

Isabella reading Mary’s words about the sacredness of the lake.

The importance of free and open debate in making decisions makes this lawsuit really troubling. I have family, friends, and a professional network that have supported me and my family through this trauma, but I can’t shake this one question. What if this lawsuit had targeted someone else? What if the developers picked a college student, a single parent, or a working-class family speaking out about issues in their neighborhood? Do we want to live in a society where only those who can afford to retain permanent legal counsel can fully participate in public debate? Will we tolerate legal actions that dodge the hard questions and instead seek to silence citizens who are trying to understand and speak out about what is going on?

Elisabeth reading George’s words about leadership and stewardship.

The way we respond to this crisis will influence how our valley grows and what our society grows into. You may not agree with my conclusions about Utah Lake and this project, but I hope and sincerely believe that we are unified in our commitment to free speech and accountability. Our society is stronger when everyone can confidently share their views and raise concerns. Along those lines, I invite our political leaders to strengthen our state’s anti-SLAPP statute so that all Utahns can confidently participate in discussions about our state’s values and future.

Andrew talking about the societal and economic risk of mega projects. 

Now let’s get back to the lake. Utah Lake is big geographically, but it’s ecological and cultural importance aren’t just a matter of size. This desert lake is an island of water in the vast sea of land that is the Great Basin. Consequently, it is a keystone ecosystem in western North America—supporting tens of millions of birds, fish, and other species. The lake is generous and resilient. As Chief Executive Meyer of the Timpanogos Nation has taught us, this lake has sustained multiple civilizations around its dynamic shoreline for more than 20,000 years. When my ancestors arrived less than 200 years ago, the bounty of the lake’s fishery saved them when their crops failed. Many of us literally would not be here if it weren’t for Utah Lake.

Carol-Lyn showing the packet that was delivered to every representative and senator today.

Since the arrival of the Pioneers, we have a mixed record with our stewardship of the lake. We introduced exotic fish to replace the native ones we overharvested. We changed the lake’s hydrology to meet our immediate needs, not anticipating the feedbacks and impacts that would have on the whole valley. Our excessive water diversions resulted in the lake drying up during the Dustbowl, extincting one of the lake’s endemic fish, the Utah Lake sculpin. These errors have one thing in common: instead of carefully observing and learning from the lake, we assumed we could remake it in our own image. This is a story that has repeated itself thousands of times around the world. Wendell Berry calls this “arrogant ignorance.”

Me describing what a sailboat looks like and how it works.

Lessons learned from that failure in the 1930s helped us establish careful water management that led to the lake refilling. We rejected proposals to fundamentally change the lake in the 1970s and 80s. When the federal government tried to drill for oil under Utah Lake during the oil crisis, our community and state said no. The lake was too important to risk when other resources were available throughout the state and country. Then in 1989, when a senator proposed to create a Utah Lake Authority that would dike off Goshen Bay, crisscross the lake with highways, and build artificial islands—all in the name of comprehensive restoration and improvement of the lake—our leaders said no.

This isn’t the first time islands and dikes have been pointed at Utah Lake. This bill from 1989 wanted to “fix” the lake by destroying it similar to the current proposals under consideration.

For the past 40 years, we have taken a different path. We chose to invest in healing and ecological restoration. Rather than trying to transform the lake into something new, we decided to study and learn from the lake and begin undoing some of the mistakes we had made. Utah Lake had a huge advantage over other waterbodies such as the Great Salt Lake, which had suffered permanent modifications. Though not healthy at that time, Utah Lake was at least whole and intact. Starting with investments in wastewater treatment, we began to reduce the flows of excess nutrients and other pollutants to the lake. The listing of the June sucker as endangered accelerated these efforts, bringing diverse community partners to the table to discuss how we could restore the lake while still meeting our needs. We began removing the introduced species and testing methods for reestablishing native plants and fish. Collaborative agreements between farmers, cities, and other water users began restoring river flow to the lake—its lifeblood.

Hashtag for real don’t pave the lake.

These efforts are now bearing fruit as algal blooms decline, native species recover, and people across our valley rediscover the beauty, power, and wonder of this unique ecosystem. Right at this delicate and crucial moment of healing and recovery, we need to have an extra measure of caution and commitment. Utah Lake’s recovery depends on sustained support, rigorous research, and robust public participation.

An osprey returns to its nest on the lake.

The island developers seem to think we don’t have the right to say no. They tell us they want input, but apparently only about the size, number, and shape of the islands. They tell us that the law has already been passed, or that we should wait until some point in the future to speak out, potentially when their project is so far along that it can’t be stopped. I don’t accept that argument. I reserve the right to say no. Our community has the right to debate and decide whether or not this is the right direction for us and the lake that sustains us.

James Flaming Eagle Mooney and entourage performed a smudge ceremony.

So, I want us all to take a deep breath and ask ourselves, how did we get here? What are we considering and why? What are the policies and programs that have brought us to the brink of such a bad decision? Take a look at the signs around us. They say, “Don’t pave Utah Lake.” Are we seriously considering throwing away decades of restoration? Are we seriously considering destroying one of our state’s natural wonders for short-term profit? If we allow this project to move forward, are we going to need signs next that say, “Don’t bulldoze Mount Timpanogos”? “Don’t sell Bridal Veil Falls?” How many times do we need to learn this lesson? I believe we are better than this.

Bremen and Logan hold back the wind (and hopefully the islands).

Like medicine, the first rule of ecological restoration is to “do no harm.” What we need right now isn’t islands, or a bigger shovel as proposed by the new Utah Lake Authority. We need cool heads and leaders with vision and moral courage who can help our valley fulfill our sacred stewardship of this lake.

The lake.