Utah Physicians Achieve Federal Court Order Prohibiting National Auto Parts Distributor From Selling Pollution Control Defeat Devices
June 1st, 2023
4 Wheel Parts stores nationwide – including those in Salt Lake City and Ogden – are now prohibited from selling or installing aftermarket parts that defeat air pollution controls in
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Residents speak out against Inland Port
May 31st, 2023
There have been numerous op-eds by concerned and skeptical residents since the Utah Inland Port’s rebrand and recent actions to expand operations across the state. One of the latest was
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Malpractice in Utah forest management
May 31st, 2023
Is logging, “thinning,” and burning really the way to reduce wildfire risk? If it seems counterintuitive, that’s because it is. If it seems like climate malpractice, that’s because it is.
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Comment on DAQ’s decision to approve Parley’s mine
May 31st, 2023
It’s time to step up in the fight against the massive gravel pit and mine at the base of Parley’s Canyon. The Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air
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Deadline to order free air purifiers for schools coming soon
May 23rd, 2023
Fox13 had a piece on the Utah Department of Health and Human Services’ free air purifier program for schools and daycares. UPHE president Dr. Brian Moench said, “It’s important that
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UIPA’s money is our money; where is our say?
May 23rd, 2023
Two excellent op-eds on residents’ views and experiences with the Utah Inland Port were published in the Salt Lake Tribune this week. Teri Lyn Harman attended the Stop the Polluting
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Why does Utah have an Inland Port?
May 23rd, 2023
The recent rebranding of the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) may seem like a fresh start, but it’s going to take a lot more than a new logo to prove
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What’s been up with the air?
May 23rd, 2023
The air pollution over the last few days is a jarring glimpse into our future. On Wednesday, it was, in part, a dust storm from the exposed lake bed of
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Coalition calls out Utah Inland Port Authority’s latest business scheme: “More tax breaks for the rich, pollution for everyone else”
May 23rd, 2023
On Thursday, May 11, at 9:30 am in the Utah Capitol Rotunda on the east steps, a coalition of groups will call on the Utah Inland Port Authority to stop the
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Free air purifier program ending soon
May 16th, 2023
UPHE has been hard at work with the Utah Department of Health and Human Services on a program that provides federally funded air purifiers to schools and daycare centers across
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Ports spreading across the state are pollution nightmares
May 16th, 2023
A lot has transpired concerning the Utah Inland Port lately, particularly various “satellite ports” now called project areas popping up across the state. Watch the Stop the Polluting Port Coalition’s
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There’s a lot more than baseball in the Utah air
May 2nd, 2023
Salt Lake City has been buzzing about the potential of hosting a Major League Baseball (MLB) team since concept images were released. A notable and realistic aspect of the concept
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New research supports ongoing program for free air purifiers in schools
May 2nd, 2023
Two recent studies add even more evidence to the importance of children breathing clean air at the earliest stages of life. One study out of Simon Fraser University, which has
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Utah inland ports offer public risk for private gain
May 2nd, 2023
Salt Lake City has been fighting against an Inland Port in our neighborhood for 5 years. After 5 years of misusing public funds, steamrolling public input, and removing local representation,
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This Utah spring, it’s what we’re not hearing that’s the problem
May 2nd, 2023
Global bird populations have plummeted 30% and pesticides are one of the culprits. UPHE’s president and co-founder, Dr. Brian Moench, had the following op-ed published in the Salt Lake Tribune.
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Takeaways for Utah from the 2023 State of the Air report
April 28th, 2023
The American Lung Association annually releases a report on the air quality of the country’s major cities, “State of the Air.” The report came a day after winds over the
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Free air purifiers for Utah schools and state-licensed early care and education centers
April 27th, 2023
Program ends soon Salt Lake City—Using money from a one-time federal grant, Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment (UPHE) have collaborated
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Op-eds: pollution, development and growth
April 18th, 2023
A few recent op-eds in the Salt Lake Tribune really resonated with UPHE’s mission. It’s great to hear the community’s input and opinions so this page is dedicated to amplifying
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Heavy snow has helped Great Salt Lake, but conservation is still essential to saving it
April 11th, 2023
An unusually snowy winter has brought Great Salt Lake up a few feet from its record-breaking low. While we are happy to see levels rising, we’re hesitant to celebrate. We
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A promise from Governor Cox
April 11th, 2023
Public comment processes can be difficult to navigate. Comment dates and periods often come up and pass by quickly, or don’t happen at all. This leaves residents who want to
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The Inland Port expands its impact – Cedar City to Tooele
April 11th, 2023
The Utah Inland Port just approved the creation of a new project area, consisting of nearly 900 acres outside of Cedar City. The Iron Springs Port will provide unnecessary tax
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Call to action! Utah Air Quality Board
April 11th, 2023
Last week, three Republican Senators voted against Governor Cox’s nomination of Dr. Suzanne Harrison for the Utah Air Quality Board. Dr. Harrison is a current member of the Salt Lake
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Stricter standards would benefit the public
April 4th, 2023
Thanks to all who submitted comments to the EPA on their consideration of soot standards. We know that there is no safe level of air pollution. After over a decade,
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UPHE on letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg opposing Uinta Basin Railway
April 4th, 2023
UPHE joined 149 other environmental groups in sending a letter to the U.S. Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, to pull the plug on the Uinta Basin Railway. The railway would be
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Unnecessary and potentially harmful chemicals in popular household cleaners
April 4th, 2023
KPCW reporter, Kimberly Flores, asked UPHE to weigh in on an article in the New York Times about people continuing to use toxic cleaning disinfectants in their homes to kill
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Listen: Fight against sale of illegal pollution-defeating devices
April 4th, 2023
KPCW’s This Green Earth had UPHE on their talkshow last week to discuss our ongoing campaign against the sale of pollution-defeating devices on trucks. Our lawsuit against the Diesel Brothers
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Listen: What we lose if the Great Salt Lake dries up
March 28th, 2023
Utah has gained a national spotlight through the depletion of one of our most precious natural resources, Great Salt Lake. The national attention has helped Great Salt Lake gain $25
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Uinta Basin Railway – “unconscionable greed, denial and a dismissal of reality”
March 28th, 2023
Americans were promised the Biden Administration would prioritize reducing the impacts of climate change by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. Despite this understanding, in 2021 the Forest Service approved
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Your job is to tell the EPA to do its job
March 27th, 2023
Agency has fallen behind on its responsibility to set safe standards for air quality in Utah. UPHE co-founder and president, Dr. Brian Moench, had the following op-ed in the Salt
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Geneva’s Point of the Mountain expansion ‘tentatively’ approved
March 21st, 2023
The Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining (DOGM) approved Geneva’s proposal to expand their massive Point of the Mountain rock quarry early this week, despite an outpouring of public
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Great Salt Lake ignored by legislature, op-ed
March 21st, 2023
Utah Rivers Council had an excellent op-ed in the Cheyenne Post covering Governor Cox’s recent speech at the Future of Great Salt Lake Conference last week, mentioning that he didn’t
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Utah Car Parts Company Agrees To Take Certain Vehicle Equipment Off The Market To Reduce Air Pollution
March 20th, 2023
Channel 4 News covered the latest update on UPHE’s lawsuit with 4 Wheel Parts. “Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment (UPHE) lodged a consent decree with the Utah Federal District
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Utah Physicians Secure Legal Settlement That Will Reduce Vehicle Pollution Across the Country
March 20th, 2023
4 Wheel Parts agrees to penalty and to end nationwide sales of illegal pollution defeat devices. (March 20, 2023 – Salt Lake City) – Today Utah Physicians for a Healthy
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UDOT paving the way for Parley’s mine that hasn’t been approved
March 13th, 2023
Granite Construction’s proposed 634 acre mine is tied up in a legal debate after the Salt Lake County Council passed an ordinance to prevent it. Residents, especially the community of
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Comments to UDOT on the taxpayer backed bond request from Uinta Basin Railway
March 9th, 2023
We urged the Forest Service not to approve passage of the Uinta Basin Oil Railway over our lands last fall. They didn’t listen. Now, the taxpayers could be on the
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UPHE at Friday’s for Future Rally
March 7th, 2023
Thanks to all who attended last Friday’s climate strike at the capitol. The Salt Lake City strike was one of over 7,000 cities across the globe who participated, demonstrating a
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Legislative Recap from Malin Moench
March 7th, 2023
Before the legislative session officially wrapped up at the end of last week, Malin Moench had an op-ed published in the Tribune. The op-ed discusses how recent federal legislative actions
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HB220 – A positive step for air quality
March 7th, 2023
“The state is now authorized to come up with a plan and take action to regulate the emissions by 2026,” a KSL article reports on the passage of HB 220.
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CBS and 60 minutes on the collapse of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem
February 28th, 2023
While the Utah legislature tries to sneak through mining and industrial development in our neighborhoods, a local environmental disaster sits primarily unaddressed – Great Salt Lake. The issues with the
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The Northpoint Small Area Plan is an environmental injustice
February 28th, 2023
Another plan to completely degrade the Wasatch Front’s quality of life is gaining opposition. Developers are looking to turn Northpoint, one of Salt Lake’s remaining rural havens, into a new
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Mining bill would be a nightmare for Utah’s future
February 28th, 2023
UPHE has warned that Jesse Lassley and Granite Construction are not done attempting to force their massive gravel pit and mining operation on the very vocally opposed Wasatch Front. In
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Vehicle Emissions in the Valley
February 21st, 2023
Mobile source emissions are one of the leading sources of pollution in the Salt Lake Valley. The body of research on what this means for our health is growing stronger,
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Great Salt Lake needs real solutions
February 21st, 2023
Great Salt Lake is getting more and more attention as concern over what its declining levels mean for the future. While the legislature insists they are paying attention, most of
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Public health malpractice in Summit County
February 21st, 2023
UPHE’s founder and board president, Dr. Brian Moench, had a guest editorial in the Park Record on the harm being inflicted upon Summit County residents by the Forest Service’s thinning
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Free Fare Forever
February 14th, 2023
Despite last year’s success, Free Fare February was reduced to just 10 days this year. Now through February 21st, all UTA services are free. The timeline at least lines up
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EPA standards are stricter, but still don’t reflect the dangers of pollution
February 14th, 2023
The health consequences of PM2.5 are well documented, and the research clearly shows that there is no safe level of air pollution. The current federal standards are way too high,
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Scientists fear a Great Toxic Dustbowl could soon emerge from the Great Salt Lake
February 14th, 2023
The disappearing Great Salt Lake makes national news again, this time from CNN. “When lake levels hit historic lows in recent months, 800 square miles of lakebed were exposed –
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A bill to reduce noise pollution
February 7th, 2023
Representative Gay Lynn Bennion is sponsoring a bill that will help address noise pollution, which is an increasing problem along the Wasatch Front. Believe it or not, noise pollution has
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Population, climate change and GSL
February 7th, 2023
Great Salt Lake made national news yet again. An NPR piece looked at Utah’s toxic relationship between development, population growth, and environmental policy. A combination of climate denial and prioritizing
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UPHE pushes for air purifiers in classrooms
February 7th, 2023
The Utah Department of Health’s air purifier program is one way UPHE is making a difference and protecting Utahns from unacceptable air pollution levels. Fox 13 interviewed us about the
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Behind this winter’s worst inversion yet
February 7th, 2023
Wasatch Front residents saw the worst inversion of the winter so far last weekend. The Salt Lake Tribune reported “By Friday afternoon, PM2.5 measurements were double the federal limit in
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Dr. Moench on panel for documentary “Downwind” at the Slamdance Film Festival
January 31st, 2023
Dr. Moench was on a question and answer panel at Slamdance Film Festival after a documentary, “Downwind” showed the public health effect of nuclear testing. “Subsequent generations may suffer more
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Chopping trees won’t save the Great Salt Lake — but it may cause larger problems
January 31st, 2023
“Tree thinning will hurt our environment in more ways than it could help,” wrote Dr. Brian Moench in his latest op-ed in the Deseret News. Read the op-ed below: A
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Residents speak out against Geneva Rock expansion
January 31st, 2023
Last Friday, the Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining (DOGM) held another hearing on Geneva’s application to expand their gravel operations at the Point of the Mountain. The city of
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US Magnesium is responsible for 10 to 25% of winter inversion PM2.5
January 31st, 2023
New research from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has identified bromine emissions from US Magnesium Corp operations are responsible for 10-25% of the typical winter inversion pollution that plagues
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Free Fare February – back in limited form
January 31st, 2023
Free Fare February is back, but this year it only includes 10 free days for the month. Take advantage of free UTA services to improve your commute, and clean up
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Invest in Utah’s Future Coalition Press Conference
January 24th, 2023
The Deseret News covered a press conference put on by the Invest in Utah’s Future Coalition. UPHE’s executive director, Jonny Vasic, spoke at the press conference about the incredible opportunity
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The legislature’s plans for water conservation
January 24th, 2023
Water conservation should be on the top of the list for the legislature this session. We’ve been battling the mega drought for some time now, but with all of the
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Residents lose in lawsuit decision with the Inland Port
January 24th, 2023
“Salt Lake City and the state of Utah mutually agreed to dismiss the lawsuit, the Utah Attorney General’s Office and Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s office confirmed to FOX 13 News.” The
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Stove Wars: The Science Strikes Back
January 24th, 2023
UPHE’s Dr. Brian Moench had the following op-ed published in the Salt Lake Tribune: “I don’t know what they have to say, it makes no difference anyway, whatever it is,
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Is Salt Lake City prioritizing warehouses over farms, homes and habitat for the Great Salt Lake?
January 18th, 2023
Thanks to everyone who showed up last week and testified before the Salt Lake City Planning Commission in opposition to another mini-inland port warehouse farm in North Salt Lake. Almost
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Legislators respond to the 5-year timeline for GSL
January 18th, 2023
A huge thank you to all who showed up at the Capital last Saturday for the rally to save Great Salt Lake. The turn out and passion exhibited was inspiring.
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UPHE on the proposed I-15 expansion
January 12th, 2023
Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment (UPHE) is one of the largest civic organizations of health care professionals in the Western US, with over 450 physicians and medical professionals and
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EPA’s proposal falls far short and must be strengthened
January 10th, 2023
After the EPA under the Trump Administration failed in their responsibility to protect public health and tighten the national air pollution standards of PM2.5, the Biden Administration is finally moving
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Make your voice heard on the I-15 plan
January 10th, 2023
The Salt Lake Tribune has an excellent in-house editorial dressing down the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), both for their 19th century solutions to 21st century transportation problems, and for
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New report gives GSL only 5 years
January 10th, 2023
The disappearing Great Salt Lake has again made national news. This time for a new report that says the lake will essentially be gone within five years without emergency measures
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Coalition calls on Salt Lake City to halt effort to create Northpoint warehouse district which will harm residents, Great Salt Lake wetlands and increase pollution
January 10th, 2023
SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City’s Planning Department is proposing creation of a new warehouse district in the Northpoint area (north east of the airport) which would decimate quality of life for
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Dust in the rain
January 5th, 2023
The dreary state of our Great Salt Lake is a boon for window washers. After each cold front and rainstorm comes windows covered with little grey spots – each raindrop
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How will we develop? Northpoint residents are worried.
January 4th, 2023
Sign the petition Some Salt Lake City residents have serious cause for concern about legislators and developers intentions for their neighborhoods. The city’s planning commission recently voted to recommend the
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More coal is not the direction we should be heading
January 4th, 2023
Two coal mining operations that are already under fire (literally and figuratively) are in the process of gaining access to 40 million tons of coal. The process in which they’re
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A wish list to save Great Salt Lake
January 4th, 2023
Great Salt Lake has quickly become one of the most pressing issues facing air quality and quality of life along the Wasatch Front and in Utah. There are a smörgåsbord
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DEQ denies US Magnesium’s permit for canal extensions in GSL
January 4th, 2023
Great News on the Great Salt Lake front! The Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), has rejected the application from US Magnesium Corp to extend their canals and siphon off
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Utah not alone in the fight against the Uinta Basin oil railway
December 20th, 2022
Fighting environmental battles in Utah can sometimes feel isolating. Which is why we are thankful for Colorado residents and the government for their vocal opposition to the Utah spurred project,
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Utah’s population and air pollution
December 20th, 2022
KUER reported this week on two frequent topics of conversion for Utahns – the growing population, and the air pollution crisis. The two are inextricably linked. “Utah State University projects
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Governor Cox rescinds support of US Magnesium canal expansion
December 20th, 2022
We’re all well aware of the state of Great Salt Lake, and the threats we face if it continues to decline. That’s why, most of us were shocked and fearful
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Everyone has taken up smoking in Summit County
December 20th, 2022
An op-ed from Dr. Brian Moench UPHE has been fielding complaints from Summit County residents about what the forest service is doing in their county. The photos we’ve been sent
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What’s going on with the mosquitoes at the prison?
December 14th, 2022
A November Tribune article exposed an issue that UPHE warned against a while ago – mosquitoes terrorizing the new state prison. The Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District (SLCMAD) sprays
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Why indoor air quality in schools is a priority
December 14th, 2022
You’ve hopefully heard by now about the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (UHHS) program to put air purifiers in K-12 schools and early education centers throughout the state,
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West-side pollution survey
December 14th, 2022
We have said it time and time again – the exploitation of Salt Lake City’s west side is a prime example of environmental injustice. West side communities are typically more
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Developers are fighting hard for Utah Lake – we need to fight harder
December 14th, 2022
Earlier this year, Utah’s Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL) and the federal Army Corp of Engineers both rejected the ridiculous proposal from Lake Restoration Solutions (LRS) to
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Parley’s mine not even approved and causing problems
December 7th, 2022
Granite construction’s proposed limestone mine for Parley’s Canyon has faced fierce criticism and pushback for the effect it is sure to have on our quality of life on the Wasatch
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What the youth are doing
December 7th, 2022
Students at Utah Valley University are asking people to give the gift of clean air by taking public transportation. For UVU student Caitlyn Bennett, winter is a time too often
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A sobering reminder from local women
December 7th, 2022
“We are two women with one too many things in common. We both lived our adult lives in Salt Lake City, are nurses, college professors, were never exposed to radon
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Another issue with UDOT’s gondola plan for Little Cottonwood Canyon
November 28th, 2022
While at the surface level, a gondola may sound like it would have a positive effect on air quality, the plan for the gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon only promotes
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Support west side communities, comment on UDOT’s I-15 expansion proposal
November 28th, 2022
If you were to ask the average Utahn, “Should the Wasatch Front follow the same blueprint for freeways and urban sprawl that everyone hates about Los Angeles?” no one would
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One crop uses more than half of Utah’s water
November 28th, 2022
With Great Salt Lake drying up and spreading toxic dust across Wasatch Valley neighborhoods, water conservation has become a key air quality issue in Utah. A recent Salt Lake Tribune
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A message from UPHE’s Doctor Tom Nelson on Wasatch Valley air quality
November 28th, 2022
Last week, on November 22nd, Salt Lake City had the 22nd worst air quality on planet earth. We were number one in North America (next was Mexico City at 30).
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Inmates, mosquitoes and pesticides
November 22nd, 2022
Over the weekend the headline story on the front page of the Tribune was an article about mosquitoes swarming the newly relocated Utah State Prison in the Northwest Quadrant and
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The dangers of indoor air quality, and what we’re doing to help
November 22nd, 2022
KSL Channel 5 did a nice piece last week on the air purifiers in schools program UPHE works on with the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. We now
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Op-Ed: Utah lawmakers may yet emerge from their environmental comas
November 22nd, 2022
UPHE’s Dr. Moench has another Op Ed in the Salt Lake Tribune on the national attention on Utah for our unsolved and largely unaddressed environmental problems. Read it in full
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There is no safe level of air pollution
November 14th, 2022
You have heard us say for years that there is no safe level of air pollution exposure. New research adds even more evidence to the science behind that. Science Daily
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Prepping for the inversion
November 14th, 2022
Most of us along the Wasatch Front are familiar with the winter weather inversion. With temperatures dropping, the inversion is upon us. While we are familiar with the inversion, how
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The case the youth have against the state
November 14th, 2022
A group of Utah youth is standing up to lawmakers and outdated environmental policies with a lawsuit that outlines the effect these policies have on the future. Here in Utah,
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Where are the brine flies and why does it matter?
November 14th, 2022
An alarming report has found that the collapse of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem has already begun. Great Salt Lake brine flies have just about disappeared. They are an irreplaceable
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Utah receives EPA grant money to monitor air quality
November 8th, 2022
The EPA also announced last week that federal funds are available for air quality monitoring for 37 states, including our very own. $1,284,587 of the funds are intended for three
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The details on a UPHE prompted environmental justice study
November 8th, 2022
UPHE has been meeting with the EPA over our concerns about adding a major new source of pollution with the proposed inland port on the West side for a few
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New GSL water restrictions – is it enough?
November 8th, 2022
Great Salt Lake has been a major topic of discussion, here in Utah, and nationally. The good news is that with all of the attention and pressure to preserve our
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Utah teens take the state to court
November 8th, 2022
For decades, Utah state policy-makers have intentionally prioritized and subsidized the fossil fuel industry to the detriment of current and future generations. Earlier this year, a team of seven young
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Rail traffic in the city adds to air pollution
November 1st, 2022
Alejandro Puy, Salt Lake City Council Member for District 2 on the west side, had a letter in the Salt Lake Tribune last week, addressing the issue of rail traffic
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Utah Lake islands project rejected
November 1st, 2022
We are delighted to include the latest piece of news on the scheme to dredge Utah Lake. “A controversial application to dredge Utah Lake as part of a massive island-building
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