Salt Lake County passes ordinance that blocks the proposed mine for Parley’s Canyon
The Salt Lake County Council voted unanimously, including all the members of both political parties, for an ordinance that would prohibit mining in the canyons and foothills of their part of the Wasatch Mountains. Several members of the council specifically mentioned all the calls and e-mails they received from citizens opposed to the Parley’s Canyon mine where Jesse Lassley is trying to impose his will against the will of virtually everyone else in the Salt Lake Valley. So a big thank you to everyone that has taken a few minutes to express their opposition to the mine to the Salt Lake County Council. Resident involvement works!
UPHE’s founder, Dr. Brian Moench, was quoted on the matter in a Salt Lake Tribune article.
“There is no doubt that it would impair both the quantity and quality of the snowpack and water resources that originate in part of these canyons. There is no doubt it would destroy important wildlife habitat, and there is no doubt that supposed reclamation would probably never happen. But even if it did, it would be a farce to call it restoration.”
Regardless of the disastrous consequences and impact on residents of the Salt Lake valley, Jesse Lassely seems determined to push this mine through. We anticipate the next battle will take place in court, so stay tuned. But for the moment, citizen involvement has won a clear victory for protecting the public interest over greedy, exploitative private interests.