Notice of Limited Extension of Comment Period: Waterleaf Phase I, LLC Draft Operator Certification Decision
Notice Type(s)
Notice
Event Start Date & Time
August 21, 2026 04:15 PM
Event End Date & Time
September 4, 2026 05:00 PM
Description/Agenda
Notice of Limited Extension of Comment Period
Waterleaf Phase I, LLC Draft Operator Certification Decision
Purpose of Public Notice
On June 1, 2026, the Director of the Utah Division of Water Quality issued a public notice announcing the Director's intention to issue an Operator Certification Approval to Waterleaf Phase 1, LLC (Waterleaf) for its Great Salt Lake Phase 1 Lithium Extraction Project (Facility) (First Public Comment Period).
After consideration of the comments received during the First Public Comment Period, the Director modified the Draft Operator Certification Decision to address concerns raised during the First Public Comment Period. Specifically, the Director included a requirement to submit an Operational Adjustment Plan in the event that monitoring results demonstrate that Waterleaf's operations are, or may be, negatively impacting the biota or chemistry of Great Salt Lake. The Director additionally made numerous reorganizational and clarification edits, e.g. removing background and facility information to a separate fact sheet, clarification of report content and submission information, etc. The Director considers these reorganizational and clarification edits to be nonsubstantive.
The public comment period is being extended for the narrow purpose of making the new Operational Adjustment Plan reporting requirement available for public comment. The Director solicits comments only on the new reporting requirement identified in this Notice, and discussed in greater detail in the Draft Certification Decision and associated Fact Sheet. All aspects of the previously noticed Draft Operator Certification Decision are not included as part of this limited extension to the public comment period. Concerning the previously noticed Draft Operator Certification Decision, the Director will only consider comments submitted on or before July 17, 2026, and will summarily disregard comments that are duplicative, late, or out of scope.
Permit Information
Permittee Name: Waterleaf Phase I, LLC
Mailing Address: 9350 South 150 East, Suite 710
Sandy, Utah 84070
Facility Location: Western Slope Promontory Mountains
Unincorporated Box Elder County, Utah
Discharge Location: Latitude 41° 26' 44.47', Longitude 112° 42' 25.25'
Waterleaf has requested an Operator Certification Approval to cover the operation of lithium extraction from Gunnison Bay, Great Salt Lake, at its Facility in Box Elder County, Utah. Additional information on the project can be found in the associated Application for Operator Certification.
Public Comments
Public comments are invited at any time prior to September 4, 2026. Written comments may be directed to the Division of Water Quality, PO Box 144870, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4870, or submitted via email to James Harris at jamesharris@utah.gov. All comments received prior to close of business on September 4, 2026 will be considered in the formulation of final determinations to be imposed in the Operator Certification Decision.
Commenters have an affirmative obligation to raise all reasonably ascertainable issues and submit all reasonably available arguments and factual grounds supporting their position, including all supporting material. Supporting material must be included in full and may not be incorporated by reference, unless the material is already part of the administrative record. Under Utah Code § 19-1-301.5, a person who wishes to challenge a Permit Order may only raise an issue or argument during an adjudicatory proceeding that was raised during the public comment period and was supported with sufficient information or documentation to enable the Director to fully consider the substance and significance of the issue.
Public Hearing
Per Utah Admin. Code R317-16-6(4): '[t]he director may, at the director's discretion, hold a public hearing to take oral comments if: (a) the director receives a request in writing not more than 15 days after the publication date of the draft certification decision; and (b) the request is from: (i) another state agency; (ii) ten interested persons; or (iii) an interested association having not fewer than ten members.'
Further Information
Additional information may be obtained upon request by contacting James Harris at (385) 552-1362, or jamesharris@utah.gov. Related documents are available for review during normal business hours at the Division of Water Quality, 195 North 1950 West in Salt Lake City or on the Division's web page at https://deq.utah.gov/public-notices-archive/water-quality-public-notices.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals with special needs (including auxiliary communicative aids and services) should contact Maria Anderson, Office of Human Resources at (801) 503-5618, TDD (801) 503-5618.
Notice of Special Accommodations (ADA)
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals needing special accommodations (including auxiliary communicative aids and services) during this meeting should notify Emily Canton at 801-536-4342.