Let's see if we have this straight: Kennecott Utah Copper is planning to give the Nature Conservancy 616 acres of pristine wetlands just west of Lake Point in Tooele County in exchange for contaminating land near the company's smelting and refining facility in Salt Lake County? From Tooele County's perspective, it's hard to find anything not to like about this deal.

But wait, there's more. First off, the proposed swap would bring the world's foremost free-market, science-driven land conservation organization to the Tooele Valley. The Nature Conservancy would manage these salt marsh wetlands, uplands and playas in a way that would preserve not only the area's vital filtration role but also protect habitat for hundreds of creatures that call the lake shore home, including shorebirds traveling the Pacific Flyway. Also, by applying the conservation science learned in Tooele County, the conservancy will be able to protect similar habitats worldwide.

Finally, having the conservancy working in Tooele Valley may provide county residents with a powerful ally on environmental matters close to home, since the group has long taken a holistic view on ecosystems around the areas it manages.

A deal this good can't be free, you're thinking. Somewhere down the line, taxpayers will get hit up for something right? Wrong. Part of the proposed land swap is that Kennecott will pay for the ownership and management of the gifted area in perpetuity.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service -- the agency that filed a claim against Kennecott for the smelter site contamination -- has given this land-swap deal its enthusiastic blessing, as have third-party environmental groups such as FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake.

We believe Tooele County residents should get behind this proposal as well by making their support known to the Fish and Wildlife Service before April 2. Something for nothing is almost always a good deal, but in this case there's absolutely no downside at all.