Utah secures $60 million for Great Salt Lake through settlement agreement
Robert Carroll
Office of the Governor
801-243-2290 | [email protected]
Kim Wells
Department of Natural Resources
801-803-0336 | [email protected]
Utah secures $60 million for Great Salt Lake through settlement agreement
Settlement resolves long-running land dispute and directs proceeds back to Great Salt Lake
SALT LAKE CITY (Sept. 24, 2026) — Utah has secured $60 million for the Great Salt Lake through a settlement agreement with the federal government resolving a decades-old legal dispute over land near the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.
The agreement transfers 22,311 surface acres along the Great Salt Lake to the federal government for inclusion in the refuge. In return, Utah will receive $60 million, with the proceeds dedicated exclusively to projects that benefit the Great Salt Lake. The settlement will be fulfilled in four payments over the next 26 months.
“This is a big win for the health of the Great Salt Lake,” Gov. Spencer Cox said. “We took a decades-old dispute and turned it into $60 million or more that will go right back into the lake. I’m grateful to President Trump and his administration, our legislative partners, and the state and federal teams who worked through the details and got this across the finish line.”
The agreement follows legislative approval earlier this year of H.J.R. 30 sponsored by Rep. Snider and Sen. Sandall. The resolution authorized the land transfer and required that the state receive at least $60 million, all of which must be used for the benefit of the Great Salt Lake.
“This is another example of what can happen when we stay focused on practical solutions for the lake,” Gov. Cox said. “There is still a lot of work ahead, but Utah is making real progress. This is a great example of our collaboration with the Utah legislature. We’ll continue to put more water in the lake and protect this vital natural habitat.”
The settlement resolves a dispute between Utah and the federal government that stretches back more than two decades. The land will remain part of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem and will be managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, with continued public use and access guaranteed by federal refuge regulations.
The agreement comes amid a broader state effort to increase water reaching the Great Salt Lake, conserve and restore wetlands and habitat, and secure additional state and federal resources for the lake.
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