Environmental concerns about Utah Lake bridge discussed

PROVO — Sam Rushforth called Utah Lake the misunderstood jewel of Utah County.

The dean of sciences and health at Utah Valley University spoke Wednesday night about the history of Utah Lake and the concerns he has if the proposed bridge over the lake is approved.

Rushforth has been studying at the lake for 35 years and said an environmental impact statement needs to be conducted while the bridge over the lake is being considered.

The study is not required for Utah Lake, which is owned by the state. However, if the lakebed were owned by the federal government, a study would be mandatory.

Rushforth said he would like to know more about the possible salt runoff, pollution from vehicles and increased urbanization caused by a bridge over the lake.

"I can't believe someone would build a six-lane, 70 mph road across the lake without someone asking what is it going to do to the critters in my lake," he said during the Utah Valley Sierra Forum at the Provo City Library at Academy Square.

At the forum, Rushforth discussed what the lake used to look like when Mormon pioneers first arrived in the valley. He said the lake had a lot more plant and fish life, was clearer and was an asset to the community.

It even helped pay for construction of the Salt Lake Temple because LDS Church leader Brigham Young asked his people to pay tithing on the fish they caught, Rushforth said.

Over the years, though, the lake has been abused, he said. Carp were introduced, and they've destroyed vegetation in the lake.

There has been considerable effort to remove the carp to try and return the lake to what it used to be, but all of that work could be offset by a bridge over the lake, Rushforth said. He believes a more in-depth look could prevent that from happening.

"The first law of ecology is that everything is connected to everything else," he said. "I want to be involved and figure out what that everything else will be."

Almost everyone at the meeting agreed with Rushforth that an EIS should be conducted, and the forum plans to petition the state Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands to do so. The state division will make the final decision about whether the bridge is approved.

Utah Valley Sierra Forum Chairman Jim Westwater said the state agency is not acting as a good steward of the lake unless it conducts the study.

"A system is flawed that would permit a six-lane highway across a very large body of water without an environmental-impact study," he said. "It would be a violation of public trust."

Westwater said he would like to see whether an EIS would support building of the bridge, but he does not believe it will.