Utah Rivers Council wants an investigation of water district
Jul 1, 2021, 5:47 PM
As Earth Day turns 50, celebrations have moved online. The City Nature Challenge is one of those opportunities. (The Great Salt Lake. Photo credit: Brandon Montrone-Pexels)
(The Great Salt Lake. Photo credit: Brandon Montrone-Pexels)
SALT LAKE CITY – – The Utah Rivers Council submitted a petition to the Utah Attorney General this week, asking for an investigation of what it says are conflicts of interest involving Christine Finlinson, an assistant general manager of the Central Utah Water Conservancy District.
Zach Frankel, executive director of the Utah Rivers Council, says lobbying by the district has stopped the passage of important water conservation measures.
“The Central Utah Water Conservation District has been one of the lead opponents to conserving water for the last 20 years in Utah,” Frankel told KSL NewsRadio.
Tom Bruton, who is also an assistant general manager of the water district, defended his colleague. He says Finlinson, a former legislator as well as a lobbyist, has been both effective and circumspect.
“As an employee of the district, [she’s] very careful of that line to make sure there are no inappropriate actions on her part,” Bruton said.
A news release from the Utah Rivers Council says upstream water diversions have depleted the Great Salt Lake dramatically, and are partly responsible for the near-record low level of the lake.
