The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has taken a major step toward potentially listing the Wilson’s phalarope as a threatened or endangered species, a move that could have big implications for the future of Utah’s Great Salt Lake and the millions of migratory birds that depend on it.
In a new notice, the agency said a petition to protect the small, shorebird-sized species presents “substantial scientific information” that federal protection may be warranted, citing threats like shrinking habitat, climate change, and impacts tied to lithium mining and changing salinity levels.
Environmental advocates say an endangered species designation could bring much stronger federal oversight and help force meaningful action to restore water to the lake. But some Utah lawmakers argue that listing a species would shift control away from the state and into federal hands.
For now, Fish and Wildlife officials are launching a full status review. That means no final decision yet—but the fate of the Wilson’s phalarope is now closely tied to the larger fight over how to save the Great Salt Lake and protect public health, wildlife, and air quality across the region.
