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Posted Sep 28, 2023, 6:36 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,536
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What Salt Lake City's mayoral candidates
have to say about Great Salt Lake's future
Quote:
Question: With the many city priorities you will face as mayor, where do you rank the Great Salt Lake on a scale of 1 to 10 — and why?
Mendenhall: "Six (with 10 being the highest). The Great Salt Lake sits just after homelessness, affordable housing and air quality, which is not to say the lake isn't important, but rather, as mayor, it's my responsibility to weigh priorities on a scale of importance and ability to impact.
"Saving the Great Salt Lake is an existential environmental issue for Salt Lake City — no doubt about it — but the scope of the challenge involves so much beyond the city's control that even with the landmark steps the city has taken the last two years, it being my top priority could not move the needle any further."
Valentine: "At an 11. I have said I think the two most important issues facing us right now that need immediate attention (are) ending homelessness and housing everyone, and saving the Great Salt Lake.
"I am extremely concerned with the health of the lake and all of Utah and we have such little time to drastically act. It's alarming when scientists say that Utah may be unlivable if the lake fails with toxic dust clouds that lay at the bottom of the lake. We have no choice but to save the lake and act now."
Anderson: "The threatened Great Salt Lake ranks as a top priority. That would be a 1 if that's 'top priority' or 10 if that's 'top priority.'
"The complete desiccation of the Great Salt Lake would be devastating to (Salt Lake City) residents and businesses because metals, including antimony, copper, zirconium, and arsenic, from the dry lake bed will blow into the city, resulting in heightened risks of severe respiratory illnesses, heart disease, lung disease, and cancers. The cascading effects would undermine, and perhaps entirely destroy, our neighborhoods, economic vitality and overall quality of life.
"The dust could lead to degradation of soil and speed snow melt, shortening winter sports seasons and reducing water supply later in the year. It would severely damage valuable wetlands, eliminate brine flies (vital in the ecosystem), devastate the conditions upon which brine shrimp ... can exist, and threaten millions of migratory birds."
Question: What do you want residents, under your watch, to do to help save the lake?
Anderson: "We each have a responsibility to live sustainably and protect the environment. ... The city has a responsibility to support conservation by educating and setting an example. Sprinklers running full blast on Washington Square during rainstorms will not happen when I'm mayor. Our government officials need to walk the talk.
"To achieve necessary changes for saving the (lake), we must recognize that even if every household permanently stopped watering lawns, that would not be a major factor in saving the (Great Salt Lake). While alfalfa (and hay) farming represents only 0.2% of the Utah economy, it uses 68% of available water.
"The most critical action that residents can take is to effectively push their elected officials and other policymakers at every level of government to take necessary measures immediately to sufficiently reduce the diversion of water for agricultural purposes."
Mendenhall: "Being smarter and more judicious in our water use is, day-in-day-out, the best thing residents can do to help save the Great Salt Lake. This means looking at your landscaping, not over-watering, fixing faulty plumbing, considering water-wise appliances and fixtures in your house.
"And our residents must be a vocal part of our constant advocacy to our elected leaders in the state Legislature and Congress. Our city accounts for a fraction of water that can make its way to the lake, and we need statewide solutions to avoid its demise.
Valentine: "It's important they get involved and stay informed, that they write their leaders and demand immediate actions, that they vote with the lake in mind, and support lawsuits from environmental groups. If they own houses and yards, they (should) convert to xeriscaping and sustainable water usage."
Question: How would the depletion of the Great Salt Lake affect the future of your city?
Mendenhall: "There wouldn't be a Salt Lake City without the Great Salt Lake. Losing the lake would have an enormous impact on our livable environment, public health, population stability, economy, tourism and more.
"Our people would suffer not only the physical impacts of the toxicity rendered on our air quality, but they would undoubtedly struggle with mental health impacts — from losing trust in our leaders who let this happen, to fearing for the well-being of their loved ones, to the stress of having to decide that they can no longer stay and thrive in this place they love."
Valentine: "The better question is, how wouldn't it affect the city? Scientists have repeatedly said that the lake collapsing would make large portions of Utah unlivable, with arsenic dust clouds and toxic storms. The vast majority of Utahns live along the Wasatch Front right next to the lake.
"Our capital city is right next to the lake in a valley that already sees some of the worst air quality in the world. We are staring down at the very near possibility of nightmare scenarios that are hard to even comprehend with climate change and the impacts that will have. We must act, we must avert disaster and unite all of us together to avoid environmental collapse."
Anderson: "The depletion of the Great Salt Lake would severely undermine the quality of life in Salt Lake City. Residents will leave to avoid the high risk of poisoning, adverse health effects, and continued declines in property values.
"Salt Lake City) will not be able to attract, and will lose, businesses. Regional recreation and economic drivers, like winter sports, will wither, because of early snow melts. Our city will be irrevocably altered, much like what is anticipated with the ongoing desiccation of Lake Urmia in Iran."
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More Q&A here from the source:
https://www.ksl.com/article/50738004...t-lakes-future
Last edited by Old&New; Sep 28, 2023 at 9:59 PM.
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