Red Butte oil spill forum to be held Wednesday

Apparently, 2010 is the year that people forgot just how much oil and water don’t mix.

For those readers too caught up in the disastrous BP quagmire to notice environmental snafus in their own backyard, on June 12 of this year, 30,000 gallons of crude oil spilled into Red Butte Creek after a pipeline owned by Chevron ruptured.

While this is relatively small in comparison to the situation in the Gulf of Mexico, three months have passed and efforts are still being made to both clean the spill and protect the public. In that vein, Jeff Salt will be hosting a “Citizen Respond” event, where residents can learn how to better the waterways in the the Salt Lake area.

Salt is definitely the most qualified man to host such an event, having been given the prestigious title of Great Salt Lakekeeper. You probably didn’t even know that such an office existed. Salt’s job, according to GreatSaltLakekeeper.org, is to “protect, preserve and defend the watershed resources of the Great Salt Lake Basin.” According to Salt, the best way for everyday citizens to get involved in solving the issue is not through lawsuits, but rather through a forum where public opinion can be expressed and ideas can be offered to local government.

The “Citizen Respond” event will be just such a forum, held Wednesday, September 29 at 7pm at the Main Branch of the Salt Lake City Library, 210 E. 400 S. Citizens concerned over the Red Butte Creek spill are advised to leave their pitchforks and torches at home and come prepared to learn how they can have an impact.