"Redeem the land and it will redeem us."
--Jack London

In 2003, the US Geological Survey (USGS) and US Fish and Wildlife Service collected water and sediment samples from the deepest part of Great Salt Lake to analyze for mercury. Brine shrimp and the livers of eared grebes were also tested. The result of these studies revealed the highest levels of methyl mercury concentrations ever detected in the US.

In 2005, Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation tested for mercury in shallower waters near its outflow on the south shore of Great Salt Lake. The analysis of those samples were even higher than the levels reported by USGS.

In the Fall of 2005 and again in 2006, mercury health advisories were issued by the Utah Department of Health, in coordination with the Division of Wildlife Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality. Extremely high levels of methyl mercury concentrations were detected in four waterfowl species commonly found on Great Salt Lake and four sport fish populations found in waters around the State.

According to Pat Lambert, Director of the USGS Utah Water Science Center, Great Salt Lake has the right physical and organic characteristics to methylate elemental mercury into the more toxic form of methyl mercury. Assimilated through the diet, methyl mercury bioaccumulates in the tissues of living organisms and causes neuro-toxic disorders, which can harm developing embryos and increase the likelihood of cardiovascular disease in humans.

Although elemental mercury occurs naturally in the environment from volcanic and geothermic emissions, studies indicate that anthropogenic sources, such as legacy mining operations, gold ore roasting operations and the largest contributor - coal fired power plants, accelerate and concentrate these emissions and are the principle sources of mercury into the water, the atmosphere and the soils.

The Department of Environmental Quality has formed the State Mercury Work Group to address the mercury problem in Utah. The Work Group consists of an array of stakeholders from the public and private sectors and is using a three pronged approach to address the issue.

• Characterize the risk by determining what things are out there that could endanger human health.
• Identify the sources and pathways of mercury by identifying the activities causing the emissions and the vehicles for transmission.
• Identify the potential solutions, recommend outcomes and implement responsible actions.
  

The good news from all of this is that it's quite likely that mercury will be the next numeric water quality standard that is developed for the Great Salt Lake, although we should not expect this to be a foregone conclusion.

Therefore, if we believe that the Department of Environmental Quality should move forward with this process, we're all going to have to advocate for that goal.

Additionally, as responsible stewards for the Great Salt Lake Ecosystem and the environment around us, it's imperative that we work to reduce the anthropogenic sources of mercury in our environment.

We must advocate for more stringent environmental regulation of gold ore roasting and mining operations. We must also encourage the State to move away from our reliance on coal fired power plants and seek cleaner, renewable and sustainable energy sources.