Young Utahns Urge Lawmakers to Save the Great Salt Lake

Muskan Walia and Nate Blouin call on legislators to support S.B. 250 and commit funding to restore the lake by 2034

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Young Utahns, including high school and college students, have been leading efforts to save the Great Salt Lake, which is facing an environmental crisis. They have proposed S.B. 250, a bill that would redirect $200 million from the Bear River Development project to fund water conservation efforts for the lake. However, the bill has faced resistance from state lawmakers, who have so far refused to put it to a vote despite overwhelming public support.

Why it matters

The Great Salt Lake is a vital natural resource for Utah, providing economic, ecological, and recreational benefits. If the lake continues to decline, it could have devastating consequences for the state, including the potential for businesses and families to relocate. Young Utahns are taking a leading role in advocating for the lake's preservation, recognizing that they will bear the brunt of the consequences if action is not taken.

The details

S.B. 250 would redirect $200 million from the proposed Bear River Development project, which would further drain the Great Salt Lake, and use those funds to purchase or lease water for the lake. This would help the state meet its goal of restoring the lake to healthy levels by 2034, the year of the next Winter Olympics and Paralympics. However, despite widespread public support for the bill, including from high school and college students, state lawmakers have so far refused to put it to a vote.

  • In September 2025, Gov. Spencer Cox announced $200 million in private funding and a commitment to reaching healthy lake levels by the 2034 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
  • In February 2026, Muskan Walia and Nate Blouin introduced S.B. 250: Great Salt Lake Amendments to close the remaining $200 million funding gap.

The players

Muskan Walia

A youth organizer who has led campaigns around water, energy, and environmental education in Utah.

Nate Blouin

A Utah state senator representing District 13, which includes the cities of Millcreek, Salt Lake City, Murray, South Salt Lake, and West Valley City. He focuses on accountability and climate issues, including the Great Salt Lake and clean energy.

Gov. Spencer Cox

The governor of Utah who announced $200 million in private funding and a commitment to restoring the Great Salt Lake by 2034.

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What they’re saying

“Even when our voices are discounted. Even when our ideas are dismissed.”

— Muskan Walia, Youth organizer (The Salt Lake Tribune)

“S.B. 250 offers legislators the chance to listen to youth. To remember their promises. To work with us in good faith.”

— Muskan Walia and Nate Blouin (The Salt Lake Tribune)

What’s next

The Great Salt Lake Water Development Commission is expected to reconsider S.B. 250 at its next meeting, where lawmakers will have the opportunity to put the bill to a vote.

The takeaway

Young Utahns are taking the lead in advocating for the preservation of the Great Salt Lake, a vital natural resource for the state. Their proposed solution, S.B. 250, offers a common-sense approach to funding conservation efforts, but it faces resistance from state lawmakers who must now decide whether to listen to the voices of the next generation and work with them to save the lake.