Port Authority Rubber Stamps Flawed Strategic Business Plan

Thanks to everyone who virtually attended the port authority’s board meeting yesterday. Over 30 concerned residents spoke about the plan, all but one were opposed. We were not surprised that the board voted to unanimously adopt the business plan despite overwhelming public opposition. From the beginning those members of the legislature that forced this upon us have not been interested in what the public wants, and the board they created have continued that dismissal.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Aerial photos of the Salt Lake Valley including the inland port area as seen on Sept. 12, 2019.

Read coverage in the Deseret News here:
https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/6/22/21299164/utah-inland-port-authority-business-plan-budget-air-pollution-quality-green

Read coverage from Fox 13 News here:
https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/despite-negative-public-comments-utah-inland-port-authority-board-approves-business-plan

Read coverage in the Salt Lake Tribune here: https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2020/06/22/utah-inland-port/

Heather Dove, president of Great Salt Lake Audubon, said she was “disappointed and dismayed” by the board’s strategic plan, which she argued was “not so much a plan with strategies and policies as it’s actually a very aspirational sales job.”

“Clearly you’re not listening and you’re not utilizing this information,” she said. “Your public engagement process is a sham and it’s insulting. You are only going through the motions to say that you satisfied this requirement, and you continue to turn a deaf ear to all the public input.”

UPHE and other groups, including Great Salt Lake Audubon, that are part of the coalition opposed to the polluting port will continue to pursue every opportunity to marshal public opinion against it. Our movement is growing, so please join us for our weekly Stop the Polluting Port coalition meeting to learn our next steps in this battle for clean air.