Natural Resources Committee

The beauty of Utah is often what attracts people to move here. The mountains, the lakes, the outdoor recreation opportunities — it all adds up to an exceptional way of living. With those benefits, however, comes the responsibility of preserving the natural resources around us.

“Really, the quality of life — if you’re going to move to Utah — is what attracts you,” said Chris Anderson, chair of the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Natural Resources Committee and a partner at Dentons Durham Jones Pinegar.

Preserving Utah Valley’s natural resources and utilizing them responsibly affects all aspects of life here, from recruitment and retention of employees to the health and well-being of residents. Anderson’s committee has been gathering information about these issues through meeting with representatives of environmental organizations and stakeholder businesses such as power companies. They’re now using what they’ve learned to determine priorities and how they can support those priorities.

“We’ve got some great natural resources here in the valley, but they’re limited, and so we need to make sure that they’re allocated appropriately so our residents have enough to live and work here,” Anderson said.

The committee’s stated priorities include supporting trail projects in Utah County, promoting outdoor recreation events and championing mass transit infrastructure projects.

One of the big issues locally is Utah Lake and the ongoing efforts to beautify it and make it more usable for recreation. To assist in these efforts, the committee organized a service project in July at Utah Lake that cleaned up an area known as Lincoln Point.

“We spent the morning basically pulling weeds and willows and cleaning up a boat ramp that had been so overgrown, it couldn’t be used anymore,” Anderson said. About 50 people participated in the project, which also included cleaning up an area for trail access along the lake’s shoreline.

The committee is now considering hosting a “Clean Air Day” that would inform local employees about how they can help lower pollution levels in the valley. During Utah’s 2021 legislative session, committee members were actively involved in examining legislation and supporting proposals they felt would further the preservation of Utah Valley’s resources. They plan to stay “The Natural Resources committee is grateful to be able to collect ideas and provide input on how Utah Valley’s amazing natural resources can best be utilized and enjoyed by our residents and businesses. With thoughtful planning, this can continue to be a great place to live and work for years to come.”

- Chris Anderson

Natural Resources Committee

Chair and Partner at Dentons

Durham Jones Pinegar

involved in the legislative process.

While protecting natural resources is a priority, it’s also a goal of the committee to work with businesses and learn about their concerns. “We don’t want to make it impossible for businesses to operate because they can’t have the infrastructure they need,” Anderson said.

He believes the county is headed in the right direction, and his committee will serve as a resource to the community. “Obviously, growth is coming, and it’s necessary and it’s our future, but we need to be smart about it,” Anderson said, “and so I think we all need to be willing to help out with that effort because it’s going to take some thought and some planning.”

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