In the coming weeks, the Salt Lake City Council will likely be asked to vote on the proposed Northwest Quadrant Master Plan. This plan raises many concerns for Great Salt Lake and for Salt Lake City's growth patterns. The proposed development, located between Bangerter Highway (4000 West) and 8800 West and 2100 South to 3700 North covers 29 square miles and includes 25,000 housing units and 25 schools to support a population of over 70,000 people. This satellite development is 8 miles outside of Salt Lake City's downtown, is unconnected to other developed parts of the city, and is in close proximity to landfills containing contaminants such as arsenic. Since there is no infrastructure in place, the project would come at tremendous cost to taxpayers.

On behalf of FoGSL, Utah Waterfowl Association, Western Wildlife Conservancy, League of Women Voters of Utah, League of Women Voters of Salt Lake, National Audubon, Bridgerland Audubon, Utah Airboat Association, the Utah Chapter of the Sierra Club, and the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, comments were recently submitted to the Utah Water Quality Board concerning draft permit modifications to Great Salt Lake Minerals' (GSLM) UPDES Permit. The UPDES permit concerns discharges of the evaporation pond flushing system into Great Salt Lake.  Read the Comments from FoGSL. The Wasatch Audubon Society has submitted comments, as well.  Read Wasatch Audubon's Comments.