New Utah Bald Eagle License Plate

Live bald eagle and school kids part of the day's festivities

Utah's newest license plate * featuring a bald eagle * will be unveiled by school children at a ceremony Feb. 10 near Farmington.

A live bald eagle will watch as the school kids pull a sheet off a large reproduction of the plate.

This event will provide a visual backdrop to an important story: the plate provides everyone in Utah a chance to help wildlife that are in the greatest need of help, including the state's threatened and endangered species.

The unveiling is also part of Utah's annual Bald Eagle Day festivities. Dozens of bald eagles should be near the unveiling site that day, and hundreds of people should be on-hand viewing them.

WHAT: Unveiling of Utah's newest license plate.

WHEN: Saturday, February 10:

10 to 10:15 a.m. * Students from Eagle Bay Elementary in Farmington recently participated in a bald eagle art contest. The winning artwork will be on display, and the students who created the artwork will receive their awards. EnergySolutions and the EnergySolutions Foundation will also present a $1,000 check to the school to help fund the school's art program.

10:15 to 10:30 a.m. * Partners in the event will speak for a few moments. After their remarks Jim Karpowitz, director of the Division of Wildlife Resources, will explain how important this new plate is to Utah's wildlife.

10:25 * 10:30 a.m. * Kids who won the art contest and DWR staff will pull a sheet off a large reproduction of the license plate as a live bald eagle from Tracy Aviary looks on.

After 10:30 a.m. * DWR staff who manage the wildlife that will benefit from the sale of the plates will be available to explain which wildlife will benefit the most and how the funding will be used.

Dozens of bald eagles should be near the unveiling site that day, and hundreds of people should be on-hand viewing them.

Staff from the Tracy Aviary will also be available to talk about opportunities to view bald eagles and other birds at the aviary.

WHERE: Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area (WMA), about 20 miles north of downtown Salt Lake City.

* Once you reach the WMA, follow the signs to the location where the license plate will be unveiled.

Directions:

Traveling north on I-15:

To reach the WMA, exit the freeway at Exit 322. After exiting the freeway, stay right where the road splits, and then turn at the first right. This will put you on a frontage road, and you'll be traveling south. Then turn right at the stop sign, which is Glover Lane. Travel west to 1325 West, and then turn left into the WMA.

Estimated drive time from downtown Salt Lake City:

30 minutes

Traveling south on I-15:

To reach the WMA, exit the freeway at Exit 325. Go to the stoplight and turn right. Travel south to the next light, which is at Clark Lane, and turn right. Travel west to the first stop sign, which is at 1525 West, and turn left. Travel south for three miles to the next stop sign, which is Glover Lane, and turn left. Travel east for two blocks and take the first right at 1325 West. This is the north entrance to the WMA.

Sponsors: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the Great Salt Lake Interpretive Trust, the Wild Bird Center in Layton, Tracy Aviary, EnergySolutions and the EnergySolutions Foundation.