Environment Archive

A bill that makes adjustments to Utah’s environmental boards passed through committee yesterday, despite wide concern from opponents who fear the public could lose its voice. Republican Senator Margaret Dayton says her bill is needed to shrink the size of the Department of Environmental Quality boards that control air, water and hazardous waste, which she says have become too large. Her bill would also change the way appeals are heard, bringing in administrative law judges and giving more authority to the department director.

The oil and gas-rich Uinta Basin in eastern Utahis the focus of a new air quality study, one that’s being called the most comprehensive air quality study ever in the state. It’s bringing together Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality, the federal Environmental Protection Agency, and oil and gas producers to figure out the region’s wintertime ozone pollution is so bad. KCPW’s Jeff Robinson spoke with Bryce Bird, Director of the Utah Division of Air Quality.

A Utah lawmaker hoping to overturn Salt Lake City’s new anti-idling ordinance presented his case to a House committee yesterday. Representative Wayne Harper says the new policy is hard on businesses and has too many exemptions to make it enforceable. KCPW’s Jessica Gail reports on the fate of his legislation.

A new, statewide initiative to improve air quality won’t include any new regulations, but purely voluntary efforts. As Utah Governor Gary Herbert announced Tuesday, the Utah Clean Air Partnership, or U-CAIR, is about getting individual Utahns to examine how they can make improvements.

A bill that would allow Utah to continue its participation in a coalition of energy producing states, but eliminate the requirement that no more than three of the four members from Utah’s legislative body come from the same political party, passed the House of Representatives today.

It was 61 years ago today that nuclear testing began on the Nevada Test Site, as many residents of Salt Lake Cityand more rural areas like Kane County know too well. That’s why local leaders are marking a National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Nuclear Weapons Testing, which was designated by the U.S. Senate, to commemorate the lives of downwinders, those who were exposed to the radiation. Local resident Mary Dickson is one of them.

As Chief Deputy Utah Attorney General, Republican John Swallow has battled against the federal government on issues like health care reform and public lands. Now, with incumbent Mark Shurtleff retiring at the end of 2012, he’s running for his boss’s job.

Although Utah leaders frequently participate in efforts like the Clean Air Challenge, 2012 looks to be the year the Utah Legislature could actually take action on the state’s notoriously bad air quality by passing a new law. Democratic Representative Patrice Arent’s bill, which cleared the House Public Utilities and Technology Committee Wednesday with bipartisan support, would create an Air Quality Task Force to look at how to change state regulations or law to make a change.

Anyone responsible for starting a wildfire could soon have to foot the bill for the cost of putting out the fire under a bill being considered by Utah lawmakers.

Camping for more than 15 straight days on state lands could soon be a class B misdemeanor, under a bill passed today by the Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee.