Temporary good news for protecting Parley’s Canyon
UPHE is actively engaged in efforts to squash the development of a massive gravel pit and limestone quarry proposed by Granite Construction in Parley’s Canyon. Recently, the Utah Division of Water Rights issued a significant setback to the project by keeping Granite’s application to reroute a stream in “unapproved status” due to insufficient information. Moving the stream is crucial to Granite Construction’s plans for the quarry, but this is also a watershed that supplies about 20% of Salt Lake City’’ water.
The proposed I-80 South Quarry has faced strong opposition from residents, local officials, and environmental nonprofits, including UPHE. The quarry will degrade air quality on the East bench, damage critical watershed and water quality, and drive away local wildlife. When the Salt Lake Tribune asked me to weigh in on the update, I told them this project is “the most destructive ever proposed in our beloved Wasatch Mountains. It is deeply disappointing that Granite Construction continues to treat the massive public opposition with such callousness and contempt by continuing to pursue this.”
Granite has made public relations statements that are utter nonsense. They claim they will ensure “no detrimental impact to the surrounding public health and air quality,” that they will ensure the safety of the public, that there will be “no impact on the watershed,” that the mine poses “no risk to groundwater, or Salt Lake City drinking water,” that there is “no danger from toxins related to this mine,” that they will “not leave a huge, ugly scar on the landscape,” and that the mine will “not make traffic worse.” The only way to ensure any of that is for the mine to never happen, and UPHE is determined that indeed it never will happen.
