Nonhuman entities like corporations and municipalities have long had “legal personhood” in U.S. law. Now, Utah lawmakers want to prevent lakes, forests and other parts of nature from having the same legal status.

By Katie Surma

Lawmakers in Utah are advancing legislation aimed at stopping a growing “rights of nature” movement that has coalesced around efforts in the state to save the Great Salt Lake, which is drying up as a combination of climate change, development and agriculture drain on its freshwater sources.