The Terrible Port Bill Was Passed

Thanks to everyone who showed up to the hearing yesterday on the latest inland port bill. The Salt Lake Tribune covered it and our Ex. Dir. Jonny Vasic is quoted in the article.

“We should be looking to repeal the port, not pile on more bad legislation,” said Jonny Vasic, executive director of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, arguing that even an environmentally sustainable port would bring more trucks, cars and congestion to the Salt Lake Valley.

Thanks to Rep. Suzanne Harrison for trying to improve the bill, and then ultimately being the only vote against it.

We disagree sharply with the Salt Lake City Council members and Mayor Mendenhall on whether this bill improves anything. The biggest issue is not who gets the money, but why are we doing this in the first place?

To Mayor Mendenhall: Whether we should be ordering on line or not is another worthy debate. But make no mistake – our growing addiction to online shopping does not depend on Salt Lake City ushering in a dirty energy inland port. People will still get their purchases at their doorstep just like they do right now. This is a distraction from the issue. It is disingenuous to say that “market forces” beyond our control are requiring us to dirty up our air. What will be dirtying up our air is bad public policy and the thousands of diesel trucks that will come with it.

UPHE will keep fighting against the inland port to further increase public opposition to it.

Here is the Deseret News coverage of the hearing.

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