HEAL Utah is excited to be part of the AARP Community Challenge Grant, which supports our goal of building healthy, equitable, and livable communities in Utah. The Community Challenge Grant, which is part of AARP’s nationwide Liveable Communities Initiative, provides an opportunity to advance environmental justice and public health by expanding access to sustainable transportation.
As the 2025 Utah Legislative Session comes to a close, we at HEAL Utah are reflecting on the policies that will shape our state’s environment and the health of its people. This session brought debates on air quality, energy policy, the handling of toxic and radioactive waste and major discussions around nuclear energy. HEAL Utah has a long history of critically evaluating the impacts of nuclear energy on our state, and this year’s legislative session saw significant proposals that could impact Utah’s energy future. While we saw some notable victories, there is still much work to be done. Here’s a look at what passed, what didn’t and what comes next.
Climate change relentlessly desiccates our environment, posing greater risks to our air quality every year, especially during wildfire season. Understanding the health risks of wildfire smoke can empower us to make changes in our community to advocate for cleaner air.
Welcome to the 2024 Utah Legislative General Session, where the future of our state’s environmental policies is at stake. In this blog post, we will break down the legislative process and explore its significance in shaping Utah’s environmental landscape. HEAL Utah, an environmental advocacy organization plays a crucial role in pushing for policies that promote clean energy, improve air quality, protect our communities from toxic & radioactive exposure, and ensure transparency in decision-making. Let’s dive into how it all works!
Individuals (like you!) can also influence policy that affects your health and quality of life by speaking up and becoming community lobbyists.
Every year we see more and more individuals redefining what it means to be a lobbyist who places community, accountability, and people over profit, setting the foundation for an era of greater democracy up on Capitol Hill.
HEAL Utah is thrilled to announce we have been selected to receive a 2024 AARP Community Challenge grant. We are one of only 343 grantees selected (out of 3,300+ applications!) from across all 50 states, Washington D.C, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In 2021, HEAL Utah received our first Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) project grant, partnering with Salt Lake County, the University of Utah, Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City, and others. Using this grant, HEAL Utah purchased and installed air quality monitors on top of electric buses traveling around the Westside of the Salt Lake Valley. These monitors are now actively collecting data as the buses move through various neighborhoods, providing a more nuanced understanding of local air quality.
In the early 1990s, Utah faced a significant environmental threat from the United States Army. They suggested the disposal of old and leaking bombs, landmines, and missiles containing a deadly nerve agent within our state. At that time, Utah held a staggering 45% of the entire U.S. stockpile of chemical weapons. The Army’s plan involved incinerating this hazardous material at the Tooele Army Depot, located near the towns of Tooele and Grantsville.
Now that our lawmakers have had a few months to recover from this year’s General Session, they are gearing up for their first interim session meeting of the year. Not sure what the interim session is? Wondering how you can get involved? No worries! We’re here to explain what you should know about Utah’s interim sessions.
As we take a moment to catch our breath after the whirlwind that was the 2023 legislative session, we at HEAL Utah are bursting with pride to shine a spotlight on the incredible achievements of our community.
Our Community Lobbying program isn’t just about policies and politics – it’s about the power of people coming together to make a difference. It all started with a simple yet profound idea: work alongside concerned community members to speak up and watch as real change unfolds. And unfold it did, with the attendance of 105 individuals stepping up to advocate for our environment and its people.
