This legislative session, we were proud to partner with University of Utah students who brought fresh energy and real impact to our efforts on the Hill. Their lobbying recap video captures some of the momentum we built together—and the numbers speak for themselves:
- 92 community members participated
- 276 total hours of lobbying logged
- 13 counties across Utah were represented (44%)
- 59% of state senators and 37% of state representatives were contacted
The students reported some trends that emerged from lobbying: many legislators were under-informed about the issues and bills Grow the Flow was tracking, and some believed enough money had already been spent on the lake. The lawmakers expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of existing policies and said they were waiting to see a return on previous investments in the lake.
But as students point out in their recap video, the current conservation goals set by the legislature are not enough to ensure the lake’s survival. The goal should be to conserve an additional one million acre-feet a year, and that can only be accomplished through ongoing and sustained prioritization of Great Salt Lake.
“Civic presence demonstrates that the public has a desire to save the lake, and that is something that legislators cannot ignore,” the students said in their video.
We’re so grateful for these students’ passion, time, and commitment— we hope you’ll take a moment to watch their video and celebrate what we accomplished together!