Utah State University is shining a light on the state's natural resource challenges with its latest report to the Governor and Legislature, focused on energy and water needs. The 2025 report from USU's Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water and Air aims to provide valuable insights for policymakers grappling with issues around land, water, and air quality, and this year, it zeroes in on energy and the prospects for Utah's future.
Brian Steed, executive director of the institute, told USU Today, "This report is designed to help inform policymakers and other decision makers so that we can know more and do better," highlighting how these findings on Utah's pressing concerns include new research on air quality, land recovery post-wildfire, and critical water conservation through the Great Salt Lake Basin, in the report, several key takeaways made a buzz among the state legislators and community leaders at the report's release, revealing the effectiveness of animal overpasses and the potential growth of the cut flower business, as well as greenspaces, dam infrastructure, and the health of Utah Lake in need of more than just carp removal.
Anna McEntire, the institute's managing director, emphasized that the insights provided are "crucial for Utah’s future — balancing growth, conservation and quality of life in Utah," as it was articulated to USU Today. The report doesn't shy away from discussing the unique challenges posed by wildfire smoke, its distinct chemical composition, and the importance of developing policy options for managing data centers in areas with impaired air quality, an array of issues from dam upgrades to the suitability of Utah’s land for critical mineral operations are put under the microscope.
The institute didn't only present data; they fostered learning, a morning legislative training in collaboration with the Utah Department of Natural Resources and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality briefed legislators on cutting-edge science and policy issues, according to USU Today, the event also celebrated the presentation of the Utah Water Pioneer Award to Jamie Barnes for her work managing Great Salt Lake, Mike Schultz, Utah's House Speaker, commended Barnes's efforts in the ceremony gatherings of political and educational figures including Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson and USU Board of Trustees Chair Tessa White culminated in a robust discussion of how the the institute's findings could be woven into environmental policy making.
This bridge between academia and politics is rooted in "a 'higher purpose for higher education'" which ensures "that the groundbreaking science happening on our campuses directly informs the critical decisions made by our policymakers," said Tessa White to USU Today. The Utah Forest Restoration Institute's perspective on forest management and the Watershed Sciences department's take on Utah Lake's invasive carp challenge were among the touchpoints in the thorough discourse. The full 2025 report, promising to guide Utah's approach to its pressing environmental issues, has been made available to the public on the institute's website.
