OREM, Utah (AP) — An ambitious proposal to build an island city on Utah Lake to help stymie toxic algae blooms that plague the water got a boost from Utah lawmakers this year, but not everyone thinks it’s a good idea.
Developer Lake Restorations Inc. has proposed funding multiple conservation and restoration efforts on the lake by building islands in the lake that people could live on.
Lake Restorations’ idea includes a $2 billion dredging project to remove nutrient-rich sediments that algal blooms depend on as well as deepening the lake.
The Daily Herald reports Andrew Follett, a student at Utah Valley University, spoke against the proposal during a panel this week.
Follett says he’s skeptically of the ideas of adding residences on the lake when many of the problems were caused by increased urbanization and human population pressures.
