Fifteen years ago, Utah citizens fought hard to mitigate environmental impacts of building the Legacy Parkway which runs through Great Salt Lake wetlands. They succeeded in getting wetland conservation, a bike trail, reduced speed limits, a quiet road surface, and bans on large trucks and billboards. However, the Settlement Agreement will expire on Jan 1, 2020 unless the Utah Legislature votes to extend it.
Now the Inland Port Board, hastily formed during the 2018 General Session of the Utah Legislature, is trying to undo those victories, proposing to expand the highway as an access route for large-scale industrial development in the Northwest Quadrant of Salt Lake City.
Citizens at inland port meetings have raised environmental concerns over increased traffic, air quality, destruction of wetlands and storage of toxic materials.
In December, the Salt Lake City Council approved new rules for environmental planning at the Inland Port, but because of the way the law is written they cannot block the development.
Get involved: Community Coalition for Inland port Reform