Judge refuses to reject lawsuit accusing Utah leaders of not doing enough to save Great Salt Lake

A judge has refused to reject a lawsuit against the state of Utah that accuses leaders of not doing enough to save the Great Salt Lake.

Third District Court Judge Laura Scott ruled that a coalition of environmental groups can proceed with their lawsuit, denying the state’s request to dismiss the litigation. But she rejected the environmentalists’ request to block upstream water diversions.

“By rejecting Utah’s attempt to kill our case, Judge Scott has given the Great Salt Lake a fighting chance at survival,” said Deeda Seed of the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. “This is a welcome bit of good news, even though the Great Salt Lake is still in crisis with no meaningful plan to fix it. A critically important ecosystem hangs in the balance, as well as the health of all the people and animals who are part of it.

“This decision gives us the chance to put together long-term solutions to save this spectacular lake.”

This article is published through the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, a solutions journalism initiative that partners news, education and media organizations to help inform people about the plight of the Great Salt Lake—and what can be done to make a difference before it is too late. Read all of our stories at greatsaltlakenews.org.