Governor Spencer Cox has appointed Brian Steed to serve as the first Great Salt Lake Commissioner. The Commissioner position was created by 2023 House Bill 491. The Commissioner is tasked with creating a strategic plan by the end of 2023 based on a “holistic approach that balances the diverse interests related to the health of the Great Salt Lake,” and includes provisions concerning the coordination of Great Salt Lake efforts, achieving a sustainable water supply, protecting human health and the ecosystem, economic development, water conservation, water and land use planning, and regional water sharing.
Mr. Steed has significant experience in water and natural resource issues. He previously served as executive director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources and is currently serving as executive director of the Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air at Utah State University.
For more information on the appointment, click here.