[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6283480,"mediaKeyId","2587912-b8cfcc4b8385d1586aa980245b9a74c4","parentId",2587912,"title","Commissioner’s office reports $1 million for water leasing, administrative move into DNR and a 10% basin conservation target","audioSeconds",319,"startMs",2113000,"endMs",2432000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2587912-b8cfcc4b8385d1586aa980245b9a74c4&start=2113&end=2432","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2587912-b8cfcc4b8385d1586aa980245b9a74c4/thumbnail_2113000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6283480/Utah/Commissioners-office-reports-1-million-for-water-leasing-administrative-move-into-DNR-and-a-10-basin-conservation-target","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6283480-0f77f276db225ced0b6125e1d9c06c9e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773678460&Signature=eRiaNB-jqzDBLQ6jANoXllPfSc8w1uDIDaUtj7ebOiQ5HtRIIvY5jkVEotLfmh5noXSILNFa4BFFaWOpwSvJHJOc3biAhS9RRdZ~IudKKz5cBfsYtAqxbBTeqmsFXyQTIzY5~1BPKZsNXIykZXZIeMnPn6mgujNywNaBgrQ5xXqOHfBcdHeFaaOU7oHb4Ni8Kb3ahmozRx-jvbc1LYNklSB62-51vrS144JVuKqGQq-eB3BR7hF81IC1UkfPuP84WT26lKJSv9O11dAnLB1OijgBTlqkzuGJfX4qxy~OKEJyU9MR8u5Sa2u3vKtdSmO961iNRvVHxfyLG3Rb-w6IHQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-13T05:47:53Z","article","Aspen Johnston, Great Salt Lake water coordinator in the commissioner’s office, told the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council that the office received $1,000,000 in one‑time legislative funding earmarked for water leasing and that it will continue preparing to use a potential $50,000,000 U.S. Bureau of Reclamation award.

The office will also transition administratively into the Utah Department of Natural Resources at the start of fiscal year 2026 and is “still targeting, a 10% reduction in consumption of water from the basin,” Johnston said, adding the 10% target is tied to the strike‑team scenario that models an additional 250,000 acre‑feet of inflow.

The funding updates and organizational changes came during a regularly scheduled meeting of the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council. Johnston summarized post‑legislative session outcomes, saying the office requested $16,000,000 in the governor’s budget and received $1,000,000 “for one‑time funding specifically to be used for water leasing.” She also said the office has been directed to continue laying the groundwork for a Great Salt Lake Water Delivery Program in case Reclamation funds become available.

Council members asked for clarification about timing for the commissioner’s strategic plan and about how the 10% water‑use reduction would be measured. Johnston said there is not yet a firm public date for the strategic plan and that the office is “still working on developing how that will work” for some partners; municipal baselines will be set in coordination with municipal partners and for agriculture the office is weighing approaches that consider water‑rights depletion and measurement options such as OpenET.

Council discussion emphasized two themes: (1) that a simple, shared conservation target helps frame partnership work across municipal, industrial and agricultural sectors, and (2) that achieving a modest additional inflow — on the order of 250,000 acre‑feet in modeling scenarios — substantially improves the lake’s long‑term outlook. Tim (chair) noted that the commissioner’s office has sought a straightforward, science‑based target and that the 10% ask is intended to be collaborative.

The council did not vote on new funding or policy at this meeting; Johnston encouraged stakeholders with project ideas to contact the commissioner’s office.

Votes at a glance: the council approved the meeting agenda and the minutes from its Jan. 8, 2025 meeting and later moved to adjourn (all motions carried unanimously).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Great Salt Lake Advisory Council 3/12/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Aspen Johnston, Great Salt Lake water coordinator in the commissioner’s office, told the advisory council that the office received $1,000,000 in one‑time legislative funding for water leasing, will administratively transition into the Utah Department of Natural Resources, and is pursuing a basinwide 10% water‑use reduction target as it prepares to use a possible $50 million Bureau of Reclamation award.","taxTitle","Great Salt Lake Advisory Council, Utah Division of Environmental Quality, Utah Government Divisions, Utah Legislative Branch, Utah","taxId",23094,"location","Utah","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6283470,"Advisory council considers uses for $125,000 sovereign‑land levy: reports, case studies, a clearinghouse and workshops top the list",449,4031000,4480000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2587912-b8cfcc4b8385d1586aa980245b9a74c4&start=4031&end=4480","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2587912-b8cfcc4b8385d1586aa980245b9a74c4/thumbnail_4031000.jpg","/articles/6283470/Utah/Advisory-council-considers-uses-for-125000-sovereignland-levy-reports-case-studies-a-clearinghouse-and-workshops-top-the-list","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6283470-a957677729a0b46174830e6c30649ae8/orig.mp4?Expires=1773678459&Signature=VeCLkDzXcMJ7RBcbsqv54TQzjLdEw5yAZBGQzBc3M7CzgccH24MF65cqw80aAQGmBUAn43bMwaxj5roZS9hlKMOKtpK3HZT-B5IrxMZk1qzW8wFgV6Or2KVOT8ovyuJ9AHdQdVzp4i7MBGIfmpUsFsL1cxxV59sPnzDn4VNIn4EqfZSOGRysc4exsgUgiz5jl6c5m5oDS-~NEbDKZl1MJ9zdFn73WSvwe3Uukj4e5UbwtRT337Nj9ont5KuvM667-62gWc0LffSl0XMzy2pA5QQ6exU2ge0lFyV6xy2AJl29cCIG0Lp2sWLI9-JMQsIJzVOlIndJf0gmIXIm~hbr2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council members reviewed a steering‑committee draft list of candidate projects for the advisory council’s discretionary allocation from the sovereign land management account (funds derived from brine‑shrimp royalties; the council has historically directed about $125,000 per year). The group emphasized that it will not vote on allocations at this meeting but sought direction on priorities to shape a May proposal.

High‑priority themes discussed included:

- Updating the 2012 \"Health of Great Salt Lake\" assessment and the 2019 analysis of the consequences of a drying lake to reflect new research and fill known gaps; several members noted that the earlier studies contain important but dated data and that an \"annotated bibliography\" approach could help reconcile paywalled academic work.

- Producing a set of \"win‑win\" case studies that highlight on‑the‑ground conservation projects (municipal, industrial and agricultural) that have demonstrably benefited the lake, both to inform practice and counter public perceptions that nothing is being done.

- Using the council’s convening authority to host targeted workshops or forums (for example on groundwater coordination, land‑use impacts and water reuse) to ensure actors are not duplicating effort and to surface actionable projects.

- Building a public clearinghouse or repository of basin research and reports so practitioners, elected officials and the public can find authoritative information in one place; council members observed this overlaps existing work but said a curated landing site would be valuable.

- Supporting targeted studies where state or federal efforts leave gaps (examples raised: groundwater updates for Tooele Valley; updated economic valuations of the lake’s contributions; analysis of land‑use changes around Camp Williams and Inland Port project areas).

Council members and liaisons who spoke included Jeff Young (Weber River Watershed Council), Darren Hess (Weber Basin Water Conservancy District), Leland (member), Warren Peterson (agriculture), Ben Nadalski (Ogden mayor), Elizabeth Kitchens (The Nature Conservancy), Wayne (commenter) and others; comments repeatedly returned to the public communications value of documenting successes and clarifying remaining needs.

Tim (chair) and steering committee members said the steering committee will refine the proposals based on this feedback and present a recommendation for a vote in May so funds can be obligated in the coming fiscal year.

Votes at a glance: agenda and minutes were approved and the meeting adjourned by unanimous voice vote.","Council members and liaisons discussed priorities for the approximately $125,000 in annual funds derived from brine‑shrimp royalties, including updating major Great Salt Lake reports, funding \"win‑win\" case studies, convening workshops, creating a research clearinghouse, and supporting groundwater and land‑use analyses.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6283475,"Great Salt Lake Sentinel Landscape designation aims to link military readiness and lake conservation; Hill Air Force Base wins REPI Challenge study",355,2844000,3199000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2587912-b8cfcc4b8385d1586aa980245b9a74c4&start=2844&end=3199","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2587912-b8cfcc4b8385d1586aa980245b9a74c4/thumbnail_2844000.jpg","/articles/6283475/Utah/Great-Salt-Lake-Sentinel-Landscape-designation-aims-to-link-military-readiness-and-lake-conservation-Hill-Air-Force-Base-wins-REPI-Challenge-study","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6283475-4c759b93642b548a1f5a55c744ac8372/orig.mp4?Expires=1773678459&Signature=KCjKvPCcwAivjgkSWhtj5LAEyjgi0LHNtpjjgpQpn5BHOXCTO2Zl~mwnv3uERH7wDUOtd8oE7RnCuERLG9SGyYha8b-eqljgTfnrauVmgdhFOstOmyj9rlGTc8dbHqqSFFqjeNgwF97MWLlU8u7JGd2IUrO-gpX2gxeWeUsAqwVWWz5UOQr~IwRuF6J0kvA1j5XcQevF9vnshZWuYvm2V8ihKLd6-f9U3dnIbgTeI3UIt0F~AS2Q9tZrIwp58YZbGo7OXR-3NgCbTeFd7nsuSLe-ba0476uaErgd8LxrDPw49xR4aZiWw6Yjt0WfHUvGSsDjajgXvniJ0ApPKYrBpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Marissa Weinberg, the program manager for the Great Salt Lake Sentinel Landscape, briefed the advisory council on the federal partnership that links Department of Defense priorities with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior and (recently) FEMA to protect installations by investing in landscape resilience.

Weinberg said the Great Salt Lake Sentinel Landscape “spans 2,770,000 acres across 9 counties” and centers on four anchor installations: Hill Air Force Base, Camp Williams, Tooele Army Depot and the U.S. Air Force Little Mountain Test Facility. The federal Sentinel Landscapes Partnership, Weinberg said, creates a platform for partners to align conservation, working lands, wildfire mitigation and military readiness objectives without creating a single new federal funding pot.

Weinberg noted the sentinel designation “doesn’t come with a funding package” but gives priority access to certain federal programs and makes defense funding justifiable for projects that improve water security, wildlife habitat and dust mitigation around installations. As a working example, she described a fiscal‑year 2024 REPI (Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration) Challenge award to Hill Air Force Base which funded an off‑base water resilience study; Weinberg said the base, the Division of Water Resources and the commissioner’s office are collaborating and that those findings could expand how REPI funds are used in the basin.

Council members asked about statute and easement authority. Weinberg clarified that language in HB 122 (the Military Amendments bill discussed in the legislative session) allows the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs to hold conservation easements — a tool that could be used to protect land near installations.

Weinberg said the sentinel boundary as submitted focuses on the southern arm of Great Salt Lake to keep the initial service area manageable and that the partnership already lists more than 40 state, federal, local and private partners.

Council members responded positively to the linkage between military readiness and lake health and discussed opportunities to pair federal defense programs with conservation work that supports the lake.

Votes at a glance: no formal votes were taken on Sentinel Landscape items at this meeting.","Marissa Weinberg summarized the newly designated Great Salt Lake Sentinel Landscape, its federal partners, its 2.77 million‑acre footprint across nine counties and an early example of REPI Challenge funding for Hill Air Force Base to study water resilience off base.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commissioner’s office reports $1 million for water leasing, administrative move into DNR and a 10% basin conservation target

Advisory council considers uses for $125,000 sovereign‑land levy: reports, case studies, a clearinghouse and workshops top the list

Great Salt Lake Sentinel Landscape designation aims to link military readiness and lake conservation; Hill Air Force Base wins REPI Challenge study