HEAL Utah has issued a scathing response to a business plan which was issued by the Utah Inland Port Authority in June.
The Port Authority claims the plan addresses community concerns about pollution and environmental impact. However, HEAL Utah says it uses vague sustainability language to define goals and lacks specific environmental performance or accountability measures: “The plan should be specific about what [the Utah Inland Port Authority’s] role is in achieving these goals, and where the primary responsibility and public accountability will lie.”
A big problem is that there is no baseline data for the undeveloped site. Before any further development takes place, it is essential to measure existing air quality, energy use, CO2 emissions, waste management, habitat impacts, water quality, light and noise pollution and traffic.
“If the port is to truly benefit the people of Utah, there must be a recognition in state policy that requiring developers to meet the highest environmental standards is in our long-term economic interest,” according to the statement.
- HEAL Utah Comments: healutah.org/statement-inland-port-business-plan/
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This is an excerpt from our August Environews column. View the full article here.