Utah Lake panel may get an OK

PROVO — After three years of looking for funding and firm commitments, the Utah Lake Commission is on the verge of receiving a legislative stamp of approval.

Rep. Steve Clark, R-Provo, is sponsoring a bill that will allow the Department of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Quality and Central Utah Water Conservancy District to participate and vote in the commission — and pay about $105,000 annually to do so.

The state governmental agencies will join other Utah County cities that border the lake and are willing to commit funds to the commission. Because the commission's purpose will be to give educated advice toward developing and restoring the lake, Clark says he thinks the bill won't have any opposition.

"I don't see any problem up here with (the bill) not passing," Clark said. "People need to understand that we are not taking over the authority of the lake. There are people with property rights and water rights and they may think that this group is going to come in and start dictating what they can do with their property or their water. That is not the responsibility or the mission of this commission. This is a recommendation commission."

Clark's bill says the purpose for the commission is to "manage Utah Lake's shoreline, encourage and promote multiple uses of Utah Lake, conserve and protect Utah Lake's natural resources, maintain and develop recreation access to Utah Lake and monitor and promote responsible economic development activities around the lake."

But when Clark envisions the effects a successful Utah Lake Commission will have on the lake, he says he sees pristine water in a setting that looks as it did decades ago before all of the carp came.

"I would like to see (Utah Lake) restored to its clean, clear state," Clark said. "The carp are the biggest problem here. We've gone back in history to see what the lake was like before we were overrun with carp, and it was clear. It had vegetation, lily pads — it was a beautiful, clean, clear lake."

The Department of Natural Resources has already started a project, the June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program, to remove the carp from the lake.

So far, Orem, Springville, American Fork and Genola have signed resolutions to participate in the commission. Lehi, Lindon, Provo, Saratoga Springs, Vineyard and Utah County are also expected to join.

In recent county meetings, Utah County Commissioners Gary Anderson and Steve White raised concerns that the county representatives will only have one vote, while the state will have several.