Mega Warehouses in CA, a Smog Source, Face New Rule
May 10th, 2021
A plan aimed at the nation’s largest cluster of warehouses is designed to spur electrification of pollution-spewing diesel trucks and could set a template for restrictions elsewhere. The NY Times
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Pesticides Make Our Air Quality Worse
May 3rd, 2021
Pesticides are toxic chemicals, even at very low doses of exposure, especially for children. But even that’s not the end of the story. Spraying pesticides also involves a “carrier” compound
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Deadly Air Pollutants ‘Disproportionately and Systematically’ Harm Americans of Color, Study Finds
May 3rd, 2021
New reports show that nearly every source of the nation’s most pervasive and deadly air pollutants disproportionately affect Americans of color, regardless of their state or income level, according to
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Stop the Chemical Arms Race
April 26th, 2021
The Salt Lake Tribune recently published an article on current developments on the issue of spraying pesticides by the Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District (SLCMAD). UPHE is calling for
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Inland Port Letters
April 19th, 2021
Last week, two letters to the editor were published in the Salt Lake Tribune regarding the Utah Inland Port boondoggle. The first concerns how the port undermines the importance of
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Press Conference on Mosquito Pesticide Spraying in SLC
April 19th, 2021
On Wednesday, April 14, we held a virtual press conference to discus our recently published report on the Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District (SLCMAD)’s strategy for mosquito control. Watch the
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Mosquito Pesticide Spraying on the Westside of Salt Lake City
April 19th, 2021
Another “Downwinder” Threat to Utahns “New research suggests that the use of airplanes to spray anti-mosquito pesticides may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder and developmental delays among children.”American
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UIPA removes west-side reps from community advisory council
April 6th, 2021
Salt Lake City leaders say it appears the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) “is still struggling to conduct business in a way that translates as legitimate and transparent.” UIPA should
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Port Authority Pretends to Listen
April 5th, 2021
Once again, the Utah Inland Port Authority is proving that they have no interest in considering public concerns. It has been obvious from the beginning that they want to push
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Utah declaration of a drought emergency ignores the bigger emergency that caused it
March 31st, 2021
There will be no end to drought conditions unless we deal with climate change. UPHE President, Dr. Brian Moench, has an Op Ed in the SL Tribune taking a harsh
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Judge taps brakes on Utah coal mine expansion, orders climate change analysis
March 30th, 2021
Alton Coal Mine, on the doorstep of Bryce National Park, should never have happened. But the mine had reached the end of the coal reserves on private land, and applied
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A Call to Veto Port Fund Bill
March 22nd, 2021
Members of the Stop the Polluting Port coalition visited the Utah State Capital in person to deliver a letter to Gov. Spencer Cox after the legislative session, calling on him
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Aerial Mosquito Spraying is a Dangerous Idea
March 22nd, 2021
The Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District (SCLMAD) is planning to use the US Air Force to spray pesticides over 43,000 acres in the Northwest Quadrant of Salt Lake City
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Utahns call on Governor Cox to veto ‘inland port fund’ bill
March 17th, 2021
Wednesday, March 17, 2021 Over 1,700 Utahns have signed a letter to Governor Cox calling on him to veto Senate Bill 243 which creates an ‘inland port fund’. Many of the
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Coalition Challenges Taxpayer Bailout for Inland Port
March 3rd, 2021
Members of the Stop the Polluting Port coalition are protesting SB 243 (Political Subdivisions Amendments), an 11th-hour “inland port fund” bill with a reported $75 million appropriation. Late Friday afternoon,
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Funding plan for the port despite objections that the public is being shut out
March 2nd, 2021
UPHE Executive Director, Jonny Vasic, said at yesterday’s committee meeting, “For a bill that will use millions of dollars of our money and you’re only allowing 15 minutes of public
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Chemical arms race is being launched in Salt Lake
March 1st, 2021
Mosquitoes and other insects can be overwhelming to people who visit Great Salt Lake. This very much includes the area in which both the new prison and the Utah Inland
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$75 million for a state bank to fund the port
March 1st, 2021
UPHE is adamantly opposed to SB 243 – a bill that would fund the Utah Inland Port. “It is beyond frustrating that the leaders of Utah’s legislature continue to create
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Air Pollution has a Higher Mortality Rate than Previously Estimated
February 16th, 2021
New research has improved on our ability to estimate pollution exposure, and that new research concludes that previous estimates on the mortality from air pollution are far too low. More
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Baby food sold contained high levels of heavy metals
February 16th, 2021
We have disheartening news to share about contaminated food. Four of the leading baby food manufacturers knowingly sold baby food that contained high levels of toxic heavy metals. Even worse,
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The Dangers of Gas Stoves
February 16th, 2021
It’s time we passed a law prohibiting gas appliances in new construction. Not only do they pollute the community airshed, they cause significant indoor nitrogen oxide pollution for those homes
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Proposed Bill for “Water Authority” for Lake Powell Pipeline
February 8th, 2021
We commented just a couple of days ago that the Utah Legislature is perennially a well spring of bad ideas, and this year is turning out to be no exception.
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Stericycle pays $2.6M to resolve alleged clean air violations
February 1st, 2021
Ever since a series of incinerator bypasses poured toxic black smoke into the nearby neighborhoods, UPHE has been working to shut down Stericycle, the medical waste incinerator in North Salt
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80% of COVID-19 Patients May Have Lingering Symptoms
February 1st, 2021
More studies are emerging that are revealing increasingly disturbing information about the long term consequences of even mild cases of COVID. A new meta-analysis found that 80% of patients diagnosed
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Utah Money Shouldn’t Go to the Uinta Basin Railway
January 25th, 2021
Deeda Seed with the Center for Biological Diversity and John Weisheit also wrote an Op-Ed published in the Salt Lake Tribune this week, bluntly addressing the misuse of state fund
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Don’t Merge the DRN & DEQ
January 25th, 2021
Dr. Brian Moench, UPHE President and founder, wrote an article published in the Salt Lake Tribune addressing the absurd proposal to merge the Utah’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and
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Conservation Groups Challenge EPA’s Reversal on Utah Regional Haze Plan
January 19th, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJanuary 19, 2021 CONTACTSJenny Harbine | Earthjustice | (406) 223-7781 | jharbine@earthjustice.orgLiam Kelly | National Parks Conservation Association | 213 814-8666 | lkelly@npca.orgJonny Vasic | Utah Physicians for
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8 Facts Regarding COVID-19
January 19th, 2021
In an era where misinformation, propaganda and conspiracy theories are allowed to proliferate endlessly on social media, it is all the more important for people to stick with reliable sources
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Comment to Oppose Uinta Basin Railway Boondoggle
January 14th, 2021
The proposed Uinta Basin Railway (UBR) is a multi billion dollar boondoggle that will harm our air, wildlands, and communities. A draft Environmental Impact Statement has been released for public
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Western US in Megadrought
January 11th, 2021
The consequences of our dirty energy addiction are currently on full display. This year the West is clearly in a persistent, severe drought related to the climate crisis. As it
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Smoke from Burning Bridge Affects Resident’s Health
January 11th, 2021
Wooden beams in a railway bridge on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley owned by Patriot Rail Company, somehow caught fire and had been burned for several days.
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Take Action to Address Climate Change
January 6th, 2021
UPHE is part of a national organization of physicians, the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, that now represents 60% of physicians in the country. We are calling for
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COVID “Long Hauler” Patients
January 6th, 2021
We are learning more about COVID “long hauler” patients, and it all points to even more reason to be vigilant in avoiding the activities proven to spread the disease. It
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Ozone and Air Purifiers
January 6th, 2021
To those of you that may have recently purchased an air purifier, or perhaps received one for Christmas, we pass on this bit of advice. If the air purifier has
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Air Pollution Can Cause Almost All Cancers
December 23rd, 2020
Several years ago the World Health Organization declared air pollution the most important environmental cause of cancer. Just about every type of cancer can be caused by air pollution, but
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Air Pollution Lowers Test Scores
December 23rd, 2020
University of Utah researchers find that air pollution, specifically winter inversion, is linked to lower math and English test scores. Read more here. “The huge takeaway is that this isn’t
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Noise Pollution, A Public Health Crisis
December 23rd, 2020
New research shows that loud sound can have a significant negative impact on human health and ecosystems. Here is coverage from the New Yorker: Modern sound-related health threats extend far
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Age & Air Pollution
December 17th, 2020
Written by Kirtly Jones, MD Older women exposed to higher levels of air pollution can experience a 24-percent increase in Alzheimer’s risk Last month, the prestigious journal, Neurology, published research
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Air Pollution a Major Driver of Ill-Health Worldwide
December 16th, 2020
Written by Kirtly Jones, MD, UPHE Board Member “Air pollution is now the world’s fourth-leading risk factor for early death according to the State of Global Air Report 2020” UPHE
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The Inland Port Will Bring Smog
December 14th, 2020
Last week there was another excellent Op Ed published in the Salt Lake Tribune on the dangers of the Utah Inland Port. This one was written by Tom Walker, a
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3,100 US COVID Deaths in a Day – 300,000 Total
December 14th, 2020
The United States has now surpassed 300,000 deaths from the coronavirus – a threshold that was broken today. The explosion of the COVID pandemic is accelerating. Last Thursday alone there
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What to Avoid During Inversion Season
December 14th, 2020
Residents have been warned to avoid outdoor exercise, refrain from wood burning, and reduce driving with the inversion season settling in. Here is coverage from an article about last weeks
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Press Release: EPA Standard is Not Enough
December 10th, 2020
For Immediate Release Tuesday, November 10, 2020Doctors say meeting EPA standard is not enough, does not mean we have clean air, or that our health is being adequately protectedEPA says SLC and Provo
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US Air Monitors Routinely Miss Pollution – Even Refinery Explosions
December 7th, 2020
Reuters released an investigative report disclosing how inadequate and misleading the EPA’s monitoring network has been. The government network identified no risks from 10 of the biggest refinery explosions over
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Administration Rejects Tougher Soot Standards
December 7th, 2020
The pollution you see today is still considered “acceptable” according to the Trump EPA. Just this weekend they announced that they would defy all the medical research and the requests
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Air Pollution is More Deadly than COVID
December 7th, 2020
Our Board President, Dr. Moench, had a recent Op Ed in the Salt Lake Tribune about how support for the inland port is denial of reality on multiple fronts–denial about
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Air Quality regulation saved 1.5 billion birds
December 3rd, 2020
UPHE works to clean our air to protect human health. But along the way, if there are benefits to wildlife that makes it even more worthwhile. A new study has
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Dr. Moench calls on Port Board Members to Resign
December 3rd, 2020
Thanks to everyone that attended the zoom inland port board meeting yesterday and voiced their opposition. Over 30 concerned residents voiced their concern for this boondoggle. It is our conviction
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Warnings Against Holiday Travel
November 23rd, 2020
Despite the CDC’s guidelines against holiday travel, one million people still passed through US airports just on Friday. Look at the chart below on what happened in Canada after that
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Air Pollution Reduces Life Expectancy
November 19th, 2020
It’s far worse than even we have estimated. (Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) Law makers had loved to call us alarmists when voicing health concerns in regards to the
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Please Don’t Gather for Thanksgiving
November 17th, 2020
We continue to set new records in Utah for cases, over 4,000, and hospitalizations, 512 as of Tuesday, November 17. Our hospitals are overwhelmed. www.sltrib.com/news/2020/11/17/utah-coronavirus-cases-up/ Here is the most chilling of
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Uinta Basin Railway EIS
November 16th, 2020
The Draft Environmental impact statement for the Uinta Basin Railway is open for public comment and virtual public meetings. Click here to view the Draft EIS. This Oil Train is
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EPA Air Quality Standards are Not Adequate
November 10th, 2020
Meeting EPA standard is not enough and does not mean we have clean air, or that our health is being adequately protected. The EPA says Salt Lake City and Provo have
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Utah’s air pollution problem has not been solved
November 10th, 2020
Written by Dr. Brian MoenchNovember 9, 2020Also available as an Op Ed in the Deseret News Overshadowed by recent election drama are Utah problems that preceded the election and will
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Pollution Makes the Pandemic Worse
November 9th, 2020
As we head into the winter inversion season, we point to yet another study that shows how pollution makes the pandemic worse. A new study estimates that air pollution is
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Doctors Implore Utahns to follow COVID Restrictions
November 9th, 2020
We at UPHE full heartedly agree with the urgency of this request from Utah healthcare workers, published in the Salt Lake Tribune. Community members need to do their part to
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A request for help from Intermountain Healthcare
November 9th, 2020
We pass on without editing, a request for help from IHC nurses, doctors, and caregivers. COVID-19 threatens the health of our community. Supporting everyone’s health takes everyone’s effort. Healthcare is
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Provo Residents Oppose Expansion of Oil Storage
November 2nd, 2020
In Provo there is concern over the expansion of Christensen Oil, a bulk petroleum distributing company. People do not want oil storage to encroach further into neighborhoods and feel uncomfortable
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EPA & State Regulators Slash Plan to Limit Coal Pollution
November 2nd, 2020
Latest business-as-usual plan by EPA and Utah officials fails to limit haze-causing emissions Four years after EPA approved a common-sense plan that promised to dramatically cut pollution from Utah’s dirtiest
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Lead Poisoning Prevention Week
October 29th, 2020
My grandson was born in New York City 6 months before the Coronavirus pandemic frightened his parents away. They have been living with us off and on ever since while
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Utah and the Nation is in Crisis
October 26th, 2020
The Salt Lake Tribune covered the crisis we face as COVID cases keep climbing, pushing our health care workers and space to house critical cases to capacity. Almost 16% of
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Herd Immunity is a Dangerous Notion
October 19th, 2020
Multiple health organizations issued a joint statement against the Great Barrington Declaration, which is a herd immunity strategy petition advocated by some outlier physicians and apparently the President’s senior advisors.
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U of U Hospital ICU is over capacity
October 19th, 2020
The entire country, including Utah, is clearly in the grip of another pandemic spike. COVID hospitalizations are at a record level, and the University of Utah Hospital is now over
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Air purifiers help reduce the risk of virus transmission
October 19th, 2020
The pandemic experts agree with what we at UPHE have been saying: Air purifiers help reduce the risk of virus transmission, including COVID-19. We have been asked by many people
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Study finds correlation between air pollution & school absences
October 12th, 2020
New research from the University of Utah has established a direct correlation between air pollution and school absences. And while that might seem intuitive, they found that was true, even
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Cleaning Your Home (the Safe Way) During COVID-19
October 12th, 2020
It’s important to keep your home clean, even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cleaning can also help relieve feelings of anxiety. But specific disinfecting products, when used together, can do more
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Air Pollution’s Effects on Pregnancy
October 12th, 2020
The little bits of dirt that you breathe into your body could affect your baby. Even though your lungs filters out dirt, and the placenta filter out all the other
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No lower “safe” level of particulate air pollution by Dr. Kirtly Jones
October 8th, 2020
You all who follow the postings and interviews and letters to the editor by Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment know that there is no lower “safe” level of particulate
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Dust on Our Fruit and in Our Lungs – The Dangers of Gravel Pits
October 5th, 2020
An excellent article in the Salt Lake Tribune on how the proliferation of gravel pits on the Wasatch Front is wiping out fruit orchards. The article is not about the
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Climate has Already Changed, and it’s Ugly
September 21st, 2020
Malin Moench, the brother of UPHE’s Board President – Dr. Brian Moench, and our economic and statistical consultant wrote an Op Ed on the climate crisis that was published in
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Environmental Justice Gaining in SLC
September 21st, 2020
Environmental justice is finally gaining traction in Salt Lake City. Daniel Mendoza, a former member of UPHE’s board, has an important article in the Catalyst on the issue of Environmental
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Radioactive Waste Headed to Utah
September 21st, 2020
Radioactive material from Japan is heading to San Juan County and UPHE is vehemently opposed to it. The proposal to ship 136 tons of radioactive material from two atomic research
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Another 2020 Crisis We Can’t Overlook
September 21st, 2020
E. Thomas Nelson: One more crisis in 2020 we don’t want to overlook By E. Thomas Nelson | Special to The Tribune · Published: 09/18/2020 Now three-quarters of the way complete, 2020
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SLC – Ranked Among the Worst Globally for Air Quality
September 14th, 2020
Salt Lake City, Utah was ranked as one of the worst cities for air quality in the world last week at 5th most polluted. Unfortunately, we at UPHE aren’t surprised
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Air Pollution Defeat Parts a National Problem
September 9th, 2020
The Guardian reported on the national problem of defeat parts and wrote about UPHE’s lawsuits against the Diesel Brothers and Tap Worldwide (another pollution defeat device marketer and subsidiary of
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Pollution from Wildfires – a Piece of the Climate Crisis
September 9th, 2020
ABC 4 TV contacted UPHE this morning and asked us to write a message on the pollution we are experiencing from the wildfires. “Because there is a higher concentration of
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“Fun-Sized” Nuclear Power Plant Amid Climate Crisis
September 8th, 2020
Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) is a consortium of small municipal power companies from cities throughout the state. With the noble intention of finding sources of electricity from something
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Air Pollution & COVID
September 8th, 2020
We have pointed out this research before, but we are glad to see other physicians outside of UPHE are warning the public that air pollution increases the likelihood of catching
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Press Conference Addressing Rio Tinto & the Port
August 27th, 2020
Yesterday, Wednesday, September 26th at 10:00 am UPHE and the Stop the Polluting Port Coalition help a virtual press conference addressing Rio Tinto’s connection to the dirty Utah Inland Port.
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Welcome New Board Member!
August 25th, 2020
Please meet our newest board member, E Thomas Nelson, MD. We are excited to have him as part of the UPHE team! Here is an introduction he wrote for us
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Environmental Racism Endangers Utah Children
August 24th, 2020
UPHE has been working with Salt Lake County and the Utah Lead Coalition on the Lead Safe Housing Program to reduce lead poisoning of Utah children. Samantha Carlisle, our intern
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A Win for National Parks & Monuments
August 24th, 2020
UPHE is excited to see a win for our National Parks & Monuments! The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has canceled the proposed sale of oil and gas leases near
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Logan Withdraws from Risky Nuclear Power Project
August 24th, 2020
Members of the Logan City Council voted Tuesday to end the city’s partnership in an increasingly expensive nuclear power project. As a member of the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems
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Car-Centric is Not the Answer by Ellen Birrell
August 17th, 2020
An excellent guest editorial has been published in the Salt Lake Tribune, written by our Fried Ellen Birrell at Save Not Pave. Birrell addresses the heat we are all feeling this
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Will Utah Bail Out Coal Port in CA?
August 17th, 2020
Last week, an attorney for the bankrupt proponents of an Oakland coal port told a judge they were counting on a $20 million infusion from the Utah Legislature to keep
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Air Purifiers in Schools
August 17th, 2020
Dr. Moench, was interviewed on the issue of what would be required in order to open schools safely. It gave us another opportunity to raise awareness of the need to
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Teachers Rally to Delay School Reopening
August 10th, 2020
Teachers rallied at the Utah State Capitol last Friday in want of stricter reopening plans for school – all while abiding by COVID-19 safely precautions of social distancing and mask
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Negative Effects from the Port on Students
August 10th, 2020
KUTV did an excellent segment covering how the Utah Inland Port would negatively affect school children who attend school near the port due to increases pollution and traffic. “Developers are
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On Track to See More Deaths
August 10th, 2020
A pandemic anywhere means a pandemic everywhere. COVID does not honor state borders or the politics of its victims. Now the virus is working its way through the country, and
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Stop Toxic Burn Pits
August 10th, 2020
Northrop Grumman/ATK Launch Systems has been openly burning toxic and potentially explosive waste on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley for decades. This open burning pollutes our air
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Victory for Tooele Residents
August 10th, 2020
We were thrilled to see Tooele residents, who had consulted with us, have a resounding victory in court to keep a gravel pit out of their neighborhood. This battle was
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UPHE Opposes Hazardous Waste Storage
August 4th, 2020
A hazardous waste permit has been approved that would allow the continued open air burning of hazardous munitions wastes at the ATK Bacchus Facility – Naval Industrial Reserve Ordnance Plant (NIROP) in
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Schools Need to Take COVID Seriously
August 3rd, 2020
Doctor Brian Moench co-authored an Op Ed published in the Deseret News on July 31st, 2020. This time Dr. Moench writes about the need for schools that are reopening to
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Utah Not Doing Enough to Make Schools Safe
August 3rd, 2020
Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment is calling for a delay in opening up Utah’s public schools until safety protocols can be put into place. Without safeguards in place, having
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Press Release: State Not Doing Enough to Make Schools Safe
July 29th, 2020
For Immediate Release Wednesday, July 29, 2020UPHE DOCTORS AGREE WITH TEACHERS: STATE NOT DOING ENOUGH TO MAKE SCHOOLS SAFE Contacts:Dr. Brian Moench – Board President, UPHE 801-243-9089 drmoench@yahoo.comJonny Vasic – Executive Director,
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Doctors Agree With Teachers: State Not Doing Enough to Make Schools Safe
July 29th, 2020
Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment (UPHE) support the Utah Education Association (UEA) in calling for a delay in opening up Utahs public schools. While the research that enlightens us about
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Submit Comments on Burning of Hazardous Waste in West Valley
July 27th, 2020
A hazardous waste permit has been approved that would allow the continued open air burning of hazardous munitions wastes at the ATK Bacchus Facility – Naval Industrial Reserve Ordnance Plant
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New Research on Air Pollution & Exercise
July 27th, 2020
One of the most common questions we get asked by the public is, how bad does the air pollution have to get before you’re doing more harm than good to
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Politicians & Business Leaders Made Utah’s Pandemic Worse
July 27th, 2020
Propublica, an excellent investigative journalism non-profit, did a feature story on how in Utah “politicians and business interests pushed health officials aside to control reopening, then cases exploded.” “Back in
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Shut it Down, Start Over, Do it Right
July 27th, 2020
The pandemic is out of control in the US. A national petition is circulating among physicians and other healthcare professionals calling on state and federal governments to, “Shut it down,
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