Silicon Slopes Would Suffer under HB288

Public hearing on HB288 is now scheduled to be heard in the Senate Business and Labor Standing Committee on Monday, March 11, 2019, at 2:00 PM, Senate Building, Room 215

Introduced Feb 8th, 2019 in the Utah Legislature is HB288. In 2018, Draper City leaders, residents and the tech companies locating here spoke and they ruled to not allow any mine expansion. Enter HB288. This is an effort by gravel mining companies to circumvent local zoning and legislative powers on critical land uses. If this bill passes as drafted, it will allow mining companies to expand and operate outside of local government zoning, laws and elected official oversight.

Also in mid-February allegations arouse that the bill sponsor may have a conflict of interest as a result of a lease that a company Wilde holds a material interest in with an adjacent cement company. The best coverage of that topic is; https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2019/02/19/new-dust-up-surrounds/

At the windy point of the mountain, in the heart of silicon slopes, it means at least 189 acres of land located high on Steep Mountain, currently zoned for agricultural use, could become mining land for 20 years or more. The high elevation and long life of the mine would mean the viewscapes visible from both Utah and Salt Lake Counties would be scarred for decades. HB288 would also empower mining companies to continue their aggressive approach of mining in residential areas of Lehi. Studies have shown that the silica dust (a known carcinogen) driven by the wind and elevation of the mining can transport the dust from this site all along to the 2M person Wasatch Front.

The bill is complex, but at it's core it would create a five member governing body made up of mining and construction industry appointees (non-elected) that would dictate the lands allowed to be mined.

I encourage executives along the Wasatch Front to consider the impacts of this bill and have your GC review the proposed language of HB288 and to decide if this is going to help the quality of life of your employees and the desirability of Silicon Slopes for future tech companies that may consider relocating here. The bill will move quickly and there will be a limited period for public input.

Sand and gravel are plentiful in Utah and there are far better sources for the material than an elevated site at the windy and populous Point of the Mountain. New and emerging technologies provide electric and natural gas powered vehicles to enable clean and efficient transport of sand and gravel from more remote and safer mining sites with fewer externalities. CNG trucks are cheaper to run and emit 19 times less pollution that diesel haul trucks. Changing fuels can minimize the impacts of more remote pits and help keep costs in line with current levels, while protecting the health and quality of life.

Given the worsening air quality challenges we currently have on the Wasatch Front, this bill needs to be defeated.

HB288 can be found here https://le.utah.gov/~2019/bills/static/HB0288.html

Logan Wilde, the bill sponsor can be reached at [email protected] and further contact info is at https://house.utah.gov/rep/WILDEL/

The most effective way to reach Logan Wilde is by phone 435-412-4384. Let him know your concerns around potential conflicts of interest, air quality, health impacts to employees, blight on silicon slopes and negative impacts to property values when mines expand for decades in densely built and populated areas. Also share with him the size of your company, the typical salaries paid and the economic engine Utah is risking with this bill to favor mining over clean tech and Silicon Slopes.

Here's some recent local media coverage on this.

KUTV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jqlCpeNClQ&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1b_1ffsq87iC3sKQa0Yx30-AuRu_fH8xa95yLpqDziMkJNZHF0qzbQVKk

KSL

ABC