That finding is in stark contrast with what scientists have previously said, namely, that diversions had put the lake on a five-year timeline — a countdown to total ecological collapse. Journalist and climate scientist Matthew LaPlante was suspicious of that report, and worried that such a dire claim risked hurting the public’s trust in scientists. So, he conducted his own research. His conclusions have caused a stir, with the scientists behind the original research pushing back hard on his new findings, as well as his reporting. Today, we’re joined by biologist Bonnie Baxter and ecologist Ben Abbott for the latest on the state and fate of Great Salt Lake.
You can read their 2023 report here.
Matthew LaPlante’s response to our interview:
Thanks for giving me a chance to respond to this. There are several false assertions:
- Bonnie asserts that “we were called unethical.” This is absolutely not true. At no time in the series did I, Clarissa, or UnDisciplined producer Raegan Edelman make such an assertion.
- Bonnie asserts that Clarissa made a statement in the UnDisciplined series about lead poisoning. This is also factually incorrect, and although it does appear to be an honest mistake it is nonetheless untrue. It was Raegan who spoke about her fears that she would get lead poisoning. Raegan's comment came in direct response to a question about how "the media reported it." Much of that media coverage was indeed focused on the dangerous chemicals and metals in the lakebed, reflecting a warning that was indeed in the BYU-published report (Page 9.)
As to other more subjective assertions — in particular, that we were engaging in mockery of the authors — I can only say that wasn’t our intent. Indeed, as you know, I have spent a lot of time defending the authors against people, like our governor, who have very clearly mocked these researchers, and have gone out of my way to express my belief that they were acting with the best of intentions. Alas, I cannot control how Bonnie feels.
I do want to make sure I respond to for the record is Bonnie’s assertions about Clarissa. I'll try to keep it short:
"Clarissa Casper joined The Salt Lake Tribune in June of 2024 to cover northern Utah in partnership with Utah Public Radio. Both news organizations make note of this relationship on their websites, and Clarissa routinely introduces herself as a journalist for both organizations.
In an email to multiple parties on December 20, Professor Baxter acknowledged that it was possible she forgot how Clarissa introduced herself ahead in their interview. It was therefore quite surprising to learn that Professor Baxter is now asserting certainty that Clarissa didn't disclose both affiliations, and it is disappointing to hear her accuse a young, dedicated, and conscientious journalist of acting unethically. I have the utmost confidence in Clarissa, and I stand by our series.”
GUESTS —
Benjamin Abbott | Associate professor of plant and wildlife sciences at Brigham Young University. You can read his response here.
Bonnie Baxter | Professor of Biology at Westminster College and Director of the Great Salt Lake Institute. You can read her Salt Lake Tribune Op-Ed here.
Airdate: Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.