Utah sportsmen target mercury

Utah sportsmen targeted mercury pollution in a new report from the national group Sportsmen United for Sensible Mining. Released last week, the report "Sensible Solutions" looks at the impacts of the 1872 General Mining Law on public lands in 13 Western states.

In Utah, the U.S. Geological Survey found high mercury levels in some areas of the Great Salt Lake and watchdogs say its negatively impacting waterfowl. In 2005 state officials warned against eating three types of waterfowl known to live around the lake. The group says that the mercury pollution is coming from mining operations in Nevada, upwind of the lake.

The national group recommends ending mining's priority status on public lands and establishing a mining-funded account for fish and wildlife habitat improvement projects associated with past mining. A copy of the full report can be reviewed at www.sensiblemining.org/documents/sensiblesolutions.pdf.