As the Great Salt Lake recedes, industry rises

UPHE has long fought against the inland port and its rapid industrial expansion, which threatens air quality, public health, and the fragile Great Salt Lake ecosystem. A recent High Country News article by Brooke Larsen highlights just how much the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) is reshaping communities and the environment—often against public opposition.

West Weber, a historically rural area, is one of the most notable victims of UIPA’s unchecked development. A 9,000-acre inland port project is set to bring warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and increased truck and rail traffic to the area, worsening air pollution and further depleting the already-shrinking Great Salt Lake. The result for residents? More toxic dust storms, more traffic congestion, and more health risks for Utahns.

Despite widespread public concern, UIPA continues expanding with little accountability. The inland port’s board is appointed, not elected, and has repeatedly ignored community opposition. UPHE is leading the charge on a lawsuit challenging the board’s make-up. 

UIPA claims to be addressing wetlands protection, but it’s token mitigation efforts pale in comparison to the scale of destruction its projects enable. Great Salt Lake’s wetlands provide critical ecosystem services, including filtering pollution and sequestering carbon. Paving over them—especially at a time when the lake faces collapse—is reckless and dangerous.

We have been fighting to stop the inland port from worsening Utah’s already dire air quality and public health crisis. The state prioritizes industry over the health of its residents. If UIPA is allowed to continue unchecked, the inland port will be yet another contributor to “death by a thousand cuts” for Great Salt Lake and the communities that rely on it.