Another reason to push back on industrialization in Parley’s Canyon
Headlines late last week served as stark reminders of why so many are opposing mining and gravel operations in Parley’s Canyon.
“The truck lost control at about 4 a.m. and jackknifed into a concrete barrier on I-80 near milepost 133, just south of Mountain Dell Reservoir,” the Salt Lake Tribune reported. The crash caused a leak in the truck’s fuel tanks, spilling over 100 gallons of diesel. Officials are warning residents to avoid waterways in Sugar House, Hidden Hollow and Parley’s Historic Nature Parks until further notice.
The recent diesel spill into Parley’s Creek serves as a glaring example of the environmental risks associated with industrial activities in sensitive areas like Parley’s Canyon. Operations from companies with a poor environmental track record should especially not be considered. Granite Construction has violated at least 46 environmental rules or regulations at federal, state and local levels relating to air pollution, failing to control fugitive dust, hazardous waste, operating without a permit, violating air quality standards, violating the Clean Water Act and water pollution. Granite’s history of violating environmental regulations is especially ominous in light of the dire state of Utah’s water shortage, and public health consequences of inevitable dust pollution.
This incident underscores the urgent need to reconsider and reject proposals such as the one put forth by Granite Construction for a gravel pit/limestone mine in the heart of Parley’s Canyon.
“Officials have not yet observed any impacts to fish or ducks as a result of the spill. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said it will continue to monitor wildlife in the affected area.
The Salt Lake County Health Department and the Utah Division of Water Quality have sampled the waters in the potentially affected areas for testing, however, the results of this testing may not be available for up to a week.,” Town Lift, a Park City news source reported.
AEG lists the following risks of diesel spills:
- Diesel fuel and other petroleum products are slippery and can create traffic problems on the roads around the spill.
- Being comprised of mixtures of toxic chemicals, the different kinds of petroleum pose health risks if they mix with ground water. The mixture can percolate through groundwater and contaminate drinking water from wells.
- Diesel fuel and gasoline are highly flammable and pose a serious fire hazard if not contained. (Parley’s Canyon is prone to wildfires, and is a focus for preventative treatment.)
- Petroleum products can negatively impact a waste water treatment plant’s ability to treat sewage.