UPHE strives to keep you informed with easy ways to take action. Mining bills to speak out on.
“Granite Construction, a California firm, is eager to strip mine the north slope of Grandeur Peak in lower Parley’s Canyon. The scar would be a mile wide and rise a half mile into the air, changing the character of Parley’s Canyon forever. To make it happen, Granite must first win a court case that seeks to overturn Salt Lake County’s regulation prohibiting new mines in its Parley’s Canyon watershed.
“Last week, Representative Corey Snider (R-Paradise) introduced HB355 — a bill that would eliminate the basis of Salt Lake County’s legal defense. Legislation tailored to change the outcome of a private lawsuit is an abuse of the state’s legislative powers. This abuse is compounded because it requires the dismantling of gravel mining regulation statewide,” Malin Moench, a retired legal and economic analyst and a UPHE member wrote in a recent op-ed to the Deseret News.
Airborne dust from gravel pits is a serious health hazard, especially in a state like Utah, where the arid climate and frequent temperature inversions trap pollutants close to the ground. Fine particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) released by gravel mining can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, increasing the risk of respiratory diseases, heart attacks, strokes, and even premature death. According to a BYU study, between 2,500 and 8,000 Utahns die prematurely each year due to air pollution. Dust and combustion-related particulates are major contributors. Exposure to high levels of particulate pollution has also been linked to increased emergency room visits and hospitalizations for asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other respiratory conditions—ailments that already afflict nearly 10% of Utah’s population. If the H.B. 355 is passed, it will increase persistent sources of dangerous pollution to the Salt Lake Valley’s already compromised air, putting thousands of residents at greater risk.
Park City resident and UPHE member, Jean Tabin, wrote to the Park Record about a handful of concerning bills coming out of the legislature this session. An overall theme of this session seems to be ignoring the people’s wishes and prioritizing deregulation.
Tabin also wrote about how under H.B. 355, cities and counties would have little power to regulate or stop harmful gravel pits and similar operations, even if local ordinances would otherwise prevent them. UPHE has also been sounding the alarm on H.B. 85, which would make it easier for pollution sources like gravel pits to bypass important air quality reviews, allowing more pollution, with less oversight. Click the links to take easy action on both of the bills!
At UPHE, we’re proud to be a source for the public to decipher complicated public policy and enable residents to take action to protect their health and the health of their communities.
Thank you to everyone who stays involved and speaks up!