The Great Salt Lake, photographed by Linda Dalton Walker from the Jordan River Delta with Antelope Island in the background. (Photo by Linda Dalton Walker)
Dozens of high school students advocating for the health of the Great Salt Lake not only made their voices heard at the Capitol but also learned how to participate in the democratic process Tuesday morning.
For the second year in a row, Youth Coalition for Great Salt Lake, an organization of Utah high school and college students who focus on education, collaboration and legislation regarding the lake, and Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah participated in Youth Lobby Day for Great Salt Lake.
Alex Rampton, a high school junior at Skyline High School, said during last year’s Youth Lobby Day, he was “wide-eyed” and unsure what was going on, but this year was different.
“(Lawmakers) were very, very accepting. They were very warm. They were very informative,” Rampton said. “And I’m grateful for the opportunity to meet with these people who are making decisions.”
Rep. Jake Fitisemanu, D-West Valley City, was one of the several lawmakers who met with youth lobbyists.
“Our job is to make good decisions on policies that will have impacts on future generations, so it’s absolutely critical for our youth to participate and contribute to the law-making process,” he said in a statement.
Youth Lobby Day was personal for several students who are concerned about the impacts of a drying Great Salt Lake. India Elliott, a freshman at the University of Utah and member of the Youth Coalition for Great Salt Lake said young people are an important part of any movement.
“The youth voice is important in all issues. It really inspires people,” she said. “That’s why it’s important for youth to come and talk about what they care about, because we are an expert on our lives, and we can say, ‘Hey, I know what it’s like to be resident here, and I know what we need, I know where our needs need to be met.’”
Rampton said Utah has been his home for his whole life and it’s being threatened by a potential massive public health crisis due to the state of the lake.
“Controlling pollution and preserving the future of Utah, the economy of Utah, all rests on us preserving Great Salt Lake,” he said. “So that’s why I’m here, skipping school and doing whatever I can to convince my legislators to make some change.”
The youth lobbyists have their eyes on a few bills they’re hoping pass this session, including HB243, which would fund research and update the eligibility requirements on grants for agricultural optimization methods. The bill is waiting to be heard in the House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee.
“I think that one is really important, because agriculture takes a huge chunk of water away from the Great Salt Lake,” Monika Cinbis, a high school student and member of Youth Coalition for Great Salt Lake said. “So looking for ways to optimize and putting the funding we need into the research ways of optimization is really important.”
Last October, House Speaker Mike Schultz said it might be time to pause and see if Great Salt Lake-related policies implemented over the last couple of years are working.
“I understand that it’s important to review what has worked for us, but unfortunately, we do not have the time or the luxury to take a step back right now,” Rampton said. “We need to push as many bills forward as we can.”
Youth lobbyists are also hoping appropriation requests for turf removal, dust mitigation and waterwise landscaping will be approved.
“That’s really important, because there’s going to be severe health consequences (from) the dust coming off Great Salt Lake,” Rampton said about the appropriation request on addressing critical dust concerns. “And being able to monitor that is going to inform how we make decisions in the future.”
Youth Lobby Day for Great Salt Lake was not only a way for students to make their voices heard, but also an opportunity for them to learn about the democratic process.
“It was so fun to be able to not just talk to my legislators, but other legislators as well, and to see them take people on the floor into the Senate, and hear how all the proceedings went,” Cinbis said. “I feel like I learned a lot about how the process works, and I learned a lot of valuable information.”
Rampton said he was grateful for the opportunity to lobby for Great Salt Lake.
“I think it’s a great movement to get youth involved in the democratic process and hopefully get some positive change around here for Utah’s future.”
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