Top 3 Issues We’re Watching in the 2025 Utah Legislative Session
Welcome to the 2025 Utah Legislative Session! Over the next few weeks, our state leaders will make critical legislative and funding decisions that will shape the future of Great Salt Lake and its surrounding communities. This session is a chance to build on the momentum we’ve created, rally our collective energy, and ensure Great Salt Lake receives the focused action and attention it so urgently needs.
Here’s a look at the legislative priorities we’re championing—and how you can get involved to make your voice heard.
1. Funding for Dust Monitoring
The Salt Lake Basin needs funding to install additional dust monitors near the lake to track dust distribution and its impact on residents. Dust from over 800 square miles of exposed lakebed threatens the health of millions of Utahns and accelerates snowmelt in nearby mountains.
Alarmingly, despite being 12 times larger than California’s Owens Lake and affecting over 100 times more people, Great Salt Lake has far fewer monitors.
This request for appropriation would provide critical funding to expand monitoring, which the 2025 Strike Team Report identifies as an “essential next step” in addressing the lake’s challenges.
2. Ongoing Funding for the Great Salt Lake Commissioner’s Office
Securing additional and ongoing funding for the Great Salt Lake Commissioner’s Office is another top priority. Led by Commissioner Brian Steed, the office is tasked with developing and maintaining a strategic plan for the long-term health of the lake, as well as coordinating efforts among state agencies, local communities, and various stakeholders to implement the plan.
Ongoing funding is needed to provide long-term stability for the commissioner’s office so it can focus on implementing sustainable solutions for the Great Salt Lake without the uncertainty of annual funding requests.
3. Limits on Overhead Irrigation and Tiered Pricing for Water
A bill sponsored by Representative Doug Owens aims to save water by cutting back on overhead spray irrigation in the Great Salt Lake drainage area. It would ban these systems for new developments or redevelopments, except in active-use spaces like parks or sports fields.
Rep. Casey Snider’s HB0274: Water Amendments makes important steps in addressing municipal conservation across the basin. Specifically, the bill addresses municipal water pricing and paves the way for municipalities to take conservation into account when setting the price of water. Additionally, the bill mandates secondary water systems implement a tiered pricing structure. Both of these changes will create a market cue for residential and secondary water users to reduce wasteful water consumption across the basin.
Get Involved: Join Great Salt Lake Lobby Days
The legislative session isn’t just about what happens on the floor—it’s about the voices of people like you. Advocacy from engaged community members can make all the difference in shaping decisions that protect Great Salt Lake.
- When: Every Thursday morning, January 23 – February 27, 9 AM
- Where: Copper Room, East Senate Building, Utah State Capitol
- What to Expect:
- Briefings on the latest bills and issues related to Great Salt Lake
- A short training on how to effectively lobby legislators
- Group visits to lawmakers to share your perspective
No experience is necessary—just bring your passion for Great Salt Lake!
Weekly Legislative Updates:
Each week of the session, we will provide updates on the status of bills we are watching, progress and setbacks from the legislature, and action opportunities to make your voice heard for Great Salt Lake!
Make sure you are signed up to receive these updates by clicking HERE
Our friends at Great Salt Lake Audubon have an awesome Bill Tracker to help you stay up to speed during an action packed 2025 Legislative Session. You can find their bill tracker: HERE
Why This Work Matters
We’ve made incredible progress toward healing Great Salt Lake, but there’s still so much work to be done. It’s the consistent, behind-the-scenes work that paves the way for long-term change. By participating in our lobby days, you can directly influence decisions that affect the Great Salt Lake and show legislators that this issue matters deeply to their constituents.
Let’s make the 2025 session a step forward for Great Salt Lake. Together, we can make a difference!