Months after saying he was committed to help save the Great Salt Lake, President Donald Trump has requested $1 billion to protect the lake in hopes it can once again flourish.
According to this FOX 13 News story: Governor Spencer Cox announced the "historic" request on social media Friday, saying the money would be used to "restore and protect one of America's most important environmental assets."
"We're going to fill the lake," wrote Cox.
In February, Trump said he was dedicated to helping the shrinking lake on social media, and then at a National Governors Association dinner attended by Cox.
Trump's budget request says:
"The Great Salt Lake. The Budget includes $1 billion to restore and protect the Great Salt Lake, which is a critical economic and ecological asset for the Nation. The lake is currently under threat and requires a comprehensive Federal program, led by DOI, to ensure its long-term sustainability and to support the robust economic and ecological contributions that the lake makes to Utah, the region, and the Nation. The Department will work with partners, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USDA, and the Environmental Protection Agency, to make investments to improve water flows into and within the lake, restore ecosystems, remove invasive species, and address toxins in the lakebed outside of any active environmental remediation sites. Together, these investments would ensure the Great Salt Lake continues to support global aquaculture, serves as a domestic source of critical minerals, and drives economic activity in Utah and beyond."
