Utahns are facing a hot, dry summer, and the warning signs are impossible to ignore. Six major wildfires are currently raging across the state; it was sad to read of the destruction of a southern Utah ski resort. These disasters are part of a larger pattern affecting Utah.
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The Colorado River and Great Salt Lake are shrinking. While a $1 billion federal budget request to restore the lake is welcome, we need to confront the factors that contribute to our worsening wildfires and shrinking water supply.
Our entire state is in drought after the warmest winter on record and record-low snowpack on which our water supply depends. Our winter sports industry depends on snow and so do our communities. If these trends continue, can Utah confidently host the 2034 Winter Olympics?
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It’s inspiring to read Utah Clean Energy founder Sarah Wright’s observation that Utah could become “the conservative state that leads the nation on climate solutions.” Rural Utahns are already benefiting from Utah’s biggest solar farm. We need permitting reform to facilitate more homegrown energy.
We are the stewards of our land, and it is our responsibility to encourage leaders who address our changing climate and protect Utah’s future.
Jean M. Lown,
Logan