Campus News

Governor Huntsman Announces Great Salt Lake Advisory Council

Dr. Bonnie Baxter, director of the Great Salt Lake Institute, selected to serve on new council

SALT LAKE CITY - Utah Governor Jon Huntsman traveled to Antelope Island State Park this morning and signed an executive order creating the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council. Dr. Bonnie Baxter, director of the Great Salt Lake Institute and associate professor of biology at Westminster, was one of 12 people selected to serve on the governor’s new council.

The Great Salt Lake Advisory Council will be charged by Governor Huntsman with conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the entire Great Salt Lake, specifically looking at the long-term viability of the Lake and its entire ecosystem.

"We have an amazing resource in the Great Salt Lake that offers a very diverse set of opportunities for our citizens," Governor Huntsman said. "This Great Salt Lake Council is a unique collection of people who now need to chart a course for how to best utilize all the features of the lake."

Governor Huntsman has appointed individuals representing the different areas of the lake to begin this process. He asked the group to submit an initial recommendation by the end of this year.

“I am thrilled at the diverse representatives pulled together from the lake community,” said Baxter. “The mission of this council mirrors that of the Great Salt Lake Institute in that voices from industry, education, non-profit and research are all represented.”

Great Salt Lake Advisory Council members:
State Senator Dan Eastman
Representative Ben Ferry
Neka Roundy, Kaysville Mayor, Davis County Economic Development
Colleen Johnson, Tooele County Commissioner
Bill Fenimore, Wild Bird Center
Dr. Bonnie Baxter, Westminster College
Corey Milne, Great Salt Lake Minerals
Don Leonard, Utah Brine Shrimp Industry
Wilf Sommerkorn, Salt Lake City Planning Director
Dave Livermore, The Nature Conservancy
Lynn DeFreitas, Friends of the Great Salt Lake
Leland Myers, South Davis Sewer District

*Information courtesy of www.utah.gov.

Westminster is a nationally recognized, comprehensive liberal arts college. With a broad array of graduate and undergraduate programs, Westminster is distinguished by its unique environment for learning. Westminster prepares students for success through active and engaged learning, real world experiences and its vibrant campus community. Westminster’s unique location, adjacent to the Rocky Mountains and to the dynamic city of Salt Lake, further enriches the college experience. For more information, visit www.westminstercollege.edu. For more information on the Great Salt Lake Institute, visit www.greatsaltlakeinstitute.org