DNR NEWS RELEASE – Compass Minerals and Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands Finalize Voluntary Agreement for Great Salt Lake Conservation

September 3, 2024
/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 3, 2024

MEDIA CONTACT
Kim Wells
(801) 803-0336
[email protected]

Compass Minerals and Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands Finalize Voluntary Agreement for Great Salt Lake Conservation 

Agreement includes significant water donation to the lake

Salt Lake City  – The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands and Compass Minerals have finalized a historic agreement that permanently donates more than 200,000 acre feet of water annually for the benefit of the Great Salt Lake. 

It’s the first voluntary agreement between the state and a major operator on the lake, as envisioned by the passage of HB453 this past legislative session. Compass Minerals and FFSL agreed to a Term Sheet in March 2024, which established the framework for negotiating the final agreement. 

“This agreement is an example of the good we can accomplish when public and private come together to be a part of the solution,” Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox said. “The donation from Compass Minerals will ensure that water delivered to the Great Salt Lake will remain in the lake. We look forward to the lasting benefit this will make toward the health and sustainability of the lake for generations to come.”

Compass Minerals has been operating on the lake for over 50 years, producing sulfate of potash, salt and magnesium chloride from the mineral-enriched brine. 

“The Great Salt Lake is a vital ecosystem and economic engine that we must all work to protect, and Compass Minerals stands with the many diverse stakeholders contributing toward the preservation of this globally significant resource,” said Edward C. Dowling Jr., president and CEO. “Through this Voluntary Agreement, we commit to significant contributions toward lake health, while also ensuring future predictability in our water use allotment that supports sustainable production at our Ogden facility.” 

The agreement is a culmination of multiple years of discussions, policy changes, and, ultimately, working together to strike a balance between industry’s ability to extract various minerals and the overall health of the lake.

“Compass, in close partnership with the state and our citizens, made some challenging decisions to reach this agreement,” said Speaker Mike Schultz. “Their commitment to working hand-in-hand with us underscores a shared dedication to protecting the Great Salt Lake. Together, this strong partnership will help ensure that the lake and Utah’s interconnected water resources remain viable for generations to come.”

“In Utah, we are dedicated to working together to find solutions for our water challenges,” said Senate President J. Stuart Adams. “This agreement marks a major milestone in addressing these issues for the next century. I commend everyone involved for their dedication to preserving the Great Salt Lake and thank Compass Minerals, Sen. Sandall and others for their crucial role in making this possible.”

As part of the agreement, Compass Minerals has committed to managing its remaining water rights in the North Arm of the Great Salt Lake based on consumption caps tied to lake-level elevations.

“When lake levels are high, Compass can withdraw up to its existing water right, just as they could always do – but in years with lower lake levels, they have committed to decreasing their water use –  or suspending it completely if the lake reaches the critical levels we experienced several years ago,” Jamie Barnes, director of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, said. “They have also committed to permanently relinquish nearly 65,000 acres of leased land around the lake, withdrawing that land from future mineral leasing and returning it to the FFSL’s stewardship.”

The lake is vital to the environment, ecology and economy, not just in Utah but also the western U.S. It supports the highest concentration of Utah’s valuable wetlands and provides a stopover for millions of birds to rest and refuel during migration each year. Lake effect snow also contributes 5-10% to Utah’s snowpack. Declining lake levels have triggered unprecedented interest, action and investment, including the creation of the Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner. 

“We have been working with stakeholders across the state to identify ways to conserve water and ensure it makes it to the lake,” said Brian Steed, Great Salt Lake Commissioner. “We recognize restoring the lake to healthier levels will take years, and we appreciate the action Compass Minerals is taking today to help protect the lake. Together, we can make a difference.”

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands is one of eight agencies and two offices under the Utah Department of Natural Resources. FFSL manages Utah’s sovereign lands, including the Great Salt Lake, responds to wildland fires and is responsible for forest health. DNR is one of the state’s largest agencies and helps ensure the quality of life of Utah residents by managing and protecting the state’s natural resources. 

###