Permit by Rule – a gift to polluting industries, but at what cost?
Utah has expanded its Permit By Rule program, a streamlined process that allows certain industries to bypass the state’s full environmental permitting review if they operate under a pre-approved set of conditions.
The Division of Air Quality announced that seven additional industries will now qualify: fuel storage tanks, abrasive blasting, degreasing operations, municipal landfills, emergency generators, dry cleaners, and auto body shops.
I told KUER that Utah is again prioritizing industry growth over public health, warning that “this just seems to be yet another example where our lawmakers are forever prioritizing the economic growth of the state rather than environmental protection and public health protection.”
It’s going to be a mistake in terms of regulating various sources of pollution. One of my main concerns is if this sort of process is applied to permits for gravel pits and limestone quarries.
“Portable aggregate processing plants, or mobile crushers, are one of the main pieces of equipment used in gravel pits. They already had exemptions for permitting in Utah, and after the Division of Air Quality’s study, they were added to the new list,” KUER reported.
Gravel pits and equipment used in them should require individual assessment, as environmental circumstances like location and climate can impact the level of pollution they cause. The streamlined processes mean these nuances could get lost.
We don’t see a Permit By Rule taking into account a situation where a particular site has some real problems with the exposure to nearby residents.