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Show Introduction The Utah Department of Natural Resources ( DNR) and the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands ( DFFSL) are jointly sponsoring the Great Salt Lake Planning Project to develop a coordinated natural resources management plan for the lands and resources of Great Salt Lake ( GSL). Primary management responsibility for the lake's resources lies with DFFSL pursuant to Title 65 A of the Utah Code, which governs management of all state lands. Specifically, Section 65 A- 10- 8, Great Salt Lake - Management Responsibilities of the Division, requires the division to: "( 1) Prepare and maintain a comprehensive plan for the lake which recognizes the following policies: ( a) develop strategies to deal with a fluctuating lake level; ( b) encourage development of the lake in a manner which will preserve the lake, encourage availability of brines to lake extraction industries, protect wildlife, and protect recreation facilities; ( c) maintain the lake's flood plain as a hazard zone; ( d) promote water quality management for the lake and its tributary streams; ( e) promote the development of lake brines, minerals, chemicals, and petro- chemicals to aid the state's economy; ( f) encourage the use of appropriate areas for the extraction of brines, minerals, chemicals, and petro- chemicals; ( g) maintain the lake and the marshes as important to the waterfowl flyway system; ( h) encourage the development of an integrated industrial complex; ( i) promote and maintain recreation areas on and surrounding the lake; ( j) encourage safe boating use of the lake; ( k) maintain and protect state, federal, and private marshlands, rookeries, and wildlife refuges; ( 1) provide public access to the lake for recreation, hunting and fishing." Section 65A- 2- 1 of the Utah Code provides; " The division [ of Forestry, Fire and State Lands] shall administer state lands under comprehensive land management programs using multiple- use, sustained- yield principles." Briefly stated, the overarching management objectives of DFFSL and DNR are to protect and sustain the trust resources of, and to provide for reasonable beneficial uses of those resources, consistent with their long- term protection and conservation. This means that DFFSL will manage GSL and its resources under multiple- use sustained yield principles ( Section 65A- 2- 1), implementing legislative policies ( Section 65A- 10- 8) and accommodating public and private uses to the extent that those policies and uses do not compromise public trust obligations and sustainability is maintained. Any beneficial use of public trust resources is subsidiary to long- term conservation of resources. Although primary lake planning and management responsibilities lie with DFFSL, the other divisions of DNR also have management responsibilities for resources on and around GSL. The Division of Wildlife Resources ( DWR), for example, has plenary authority for managing wildlife in, on and around the lake. The Division of Parks and Recreation ( DPR) manages Antelope Island State Park ( AISP) and coordinates search and rescue and boating enforcement on the lake. The Division of Water Rights ( DWRi) regulates the 1 |