Initiative for restoring lake's shore advances

A yearslong initiative to clean up environmental damage attributed to mining activities near the south shore of the Great Salt Lake has advanced with the Monday publishing of a draft restoration plan and Environmental Action Statement.

The actions are intended to restore natural resources the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service asserts were impacted by contaminated groundwater, surface water and sediments at the North Zone Wetlands, situated south of I-80 in Salt Lake County.

The proposed restoration plan includes transferring control of 616 acres of Kennecott's salt marsh wetlands, uplands and playa habitats to the Nature Conservancy. The replacement wetlands area is in Tooele County about 10 miles west of the impacted area that is being cleaned up.

Kennecott also will build a pipeline and canal system to improve the distribution of water to the Tooele County property and will provide water rights to the Nature Conservancy to ensure the Lakepoint Wetlands have a permanent water supply. Kennecott also will fund an endowment to address the ownership and management costs of the Lakepoint Wetlands.

Chris Cline, Fish and Wildlife Service contaminants specialist, said Kennecott began a voluntary cleanup of the damaged area in 1996 under an agreement with the state and the Environmental Protection Agency.

To obtain a copy, contact Cline at the Utah Field Office of the Fish and Wildlife Service, 801-975-3330, ext. 145.