Alan Matheson

Executive Director, Utah Department of Environmental Quality

Senior Environmental Advisor to the Governor

Bio:

Alan Matheson, Jr. was confirmed as executive director of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality in June 2015.  In addition to that role, he continues to serve as senior environmental advisor to Governor Gary R. Herbert, a position he has held since October 2011. Previous to his work with the State of Utah, Matheson served as the executive director of Envision Utah where he facilitated public processes to help communities address development and natural resource challenges in a way consistent with science, economic realities, and public values.

Throughout his career, Matheson has organized and managed stakeholder groups, facilitated broad public involvement, and helped bring divided communities together to solve controversial and complex challenges. Alan also served as the founding director of the Utah Water Project. He was a partner in a Phoenix law firm, where he specialized in natural resource and water law, and was senior attorney and environmental policy advisor for Arizona’s largest electric utility. Earlier, he worked as a law clerk for a judge on the United States Court of Appeals. Matheson earned a bachelor’s in international relations from Stanford University and a law degree from UCLA School of Law, where he was an editor of the UCLA Law Review.

Matheson has served on several boards, including the Western Governors’ Association Staff Advisory Council (Chair), the Sandy Planning Commission (Chair), Wasatch Front Regional Council, Envision Utah Board of Trustees (Vice Chair), Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR), Energy Development Task Force, Governor’s Water Strategy Advisory Team, and the Mountain Accord Executive Committee.

Title: State Water Planning and its Impact on the Great Salt Lake

9:15am - Thursday, May 12th

Abstract: Sound water management and policy are critical to Utah's future.  At the Governor's direction, the state is developing a broad water strategy.This presentation will provide a status report on this planning process, with a particular focus on its relationship to the Great Salt Lake. It will also address how proposals to meet growing water needs may affect water quality and the health of the lake and surrounding areas.