WASHINGTON, D.C. (ABC4) — U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R), Utah and Jeff Merkley (D), Oregon introduced their Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Program Act.
This bipartisan legislation is to facilitate an integrated regional assessment of saline lake ecosystems that would fill a critical data gap that has made it nearly impossible to address a variety of problems caused by declining water levels, according to officials.
Saline lakes that line wetlands across the West Coast serve as habitats for a diverse array of wildlife and provide important economic and social benefits to nearby communities.
“The Great Salt Lake is the largest saline lake in the Western Hemisphere and one of the largest in the world. It is also an iconic and cherished part of Utah,” Senator Romney says. “I’m proud to lead this legislation with Senator Merkley, which will establish a scientific foundation and ongoing monitoring system to inform coordinated management and conservation actions for threatened Great Basin saline lake ecosystems and the communities who depend on them. This legislation should complement and help elevate the work already being done by the state of Utah to understand this key resource and the role it plays as part of the larger landscape.”
Senator Merkley spoke about the importance of this legislature to the future and the quality of life for Oregonians.
“Our lands and waters — including our saline lakes like Lake Abert and Goose Lake — are integral to the futures of countless animals and migratory birds, as well as Oregonians’ quality of life and livelihoods,” says Merkley. “These ecosystems must be protected, but we can’t do that without sufficient data. So let’s work to secure the studies and science we need to put long-term plans into action, so we can ensure that our saline lakes ecosystem can thrive for generations to come.”
Governor Spencer Cox also spoke about the value this legislation with bring to Utah and the Great Salt Lake.
“This is a superb bill for the future of the Great Salt Lake and the animals and people who rely on it,” Cox says. “It would address the economic value associated with the lake and the importance of migratory birds, help fill gaps in science around hydrology, integrate existing work being done on water quality, and assess future water needs. This legislation could be a key to ensuring the viability of the Great Salt Lake far into the future.”
Marcelle Shoop, Audubon’s saline lakes program director, emphasized the importance of this legislature’s timing as lakes across the Great Basin “are drying at alarming rates.”
“Saline lakes and their wetlands in the arid West sustain millions of migratory birds while also benefitting local communities and their economies,” says Shoop. “The regional program will build on existing knowledge to help us understand how water supplies and habitats are changing, and identify opportunities where we all can work together on solutions that protect bird habitat and communities. We’re grateful for the leadership of Senator Merkley and Senator Romney in championing this important legislation.”
