Weber County Inland Port threatens GSL wetlands

Opponents of the proposed inland port in Weber County showed up strong to the Weber County meeting, expressing concerns over the negative impacts the port would have on their community. Despite the public outcry, County commissioners voted to allow the Port to create a plan for the 8,785 acres of largely undeveloped land, threatening Great Salt Lake wetlands.

Find the full report on UIPA’s impact on wetlands here.

Brian Moench, M.D. of UPHE, was quoted in a KSL article covering the controversy, “Accelerated development like this is the last thing we need.” Moench says similar sorts of projects elsewhere around the country have resulted in warehousing developments that offer low-paying jobs. “They aren’t the kind of jobs that are going to help the economy and the Wasatch Front.”

The Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) has been rapidly expanding their control, with no real business plan or environmental protections in place.

Since UIPA’s conception in 2018, originating in Salt Lake City, the Port has collected and spend millions. The port’s own executive director recently admitted in a Salt Lake Tribune article, “Most of that is trucks and warehouses that are not doing good things for economy or the environment.”