DEQ celebrates Earth Day by giving back to the Jordan River

SALT LAKE CITY — On Earth Day (April 22, 2026), more than 80 Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) employees left their desks for their annual Jordan River cleanup. By the end of the afternoon, they had hauled out a staggering 1,940 pounds of garbage.

The annual Earth Day service project, hosted in partnership with the Jordan River Commission, brought DEQ staff together for trail and canoe cleanups along the Jordan River Trail and Parkway. Volunteers either walked the trail collecting litter or paddled canoes to reach debris inaccessible by foot traffic. Combined, participants logged 354 volunteer hours.

"I think it’s important for us to feel like we’re actually doing something," says Ashley Sumner, Deputy Director at DEQ. “Rolling up our sleeves together as a department and making a difference."

The effort was made possible through DEQ's ongoing collaboration with the Jordan River Commission, which supplied tools, gloves, trash bags, and hauling coordination. One of the river's persistent challenges is litter that accumulates along the trail and eventually washes into the water, threatening water quality and wildlife habitat downstream.

Soren Simonsen, executive director of the Jordan River Commission, expresses appreciation for DEQ’s participation and ongoing support. He says, "We work with a lot of partners and support efforts to keep things from getting in the river, but it does, so it’s really awesome to see members of the DEQ team come out and don’t mind getting a little wet and a little dirty to clean up the debris from the winter months.”

Rebecca Brown shares her unique findings on the trail: "There were probably a thousand golf balls that were picked up and an entire golf club bag." Even so, she thinks it’s “really special” and "it brings the community together, and you can see everyone working on it, and it's great to see who comes out and how many people contribute to it."

In addition to cleanup, more than 20 employees repurposed donated birdseed bags into trail cleanup kits at DEQ headquarters. These ready-to-use kits are distributed to community members year-round.

The DEQ team not only cleaned up a local recreational hotspot but also fostered a stronger sense of community and community partnership– continuing a commitment to protect Utah’s air, land, and water while supporting communities and growth statewide.