Salt Lake City, UT (April 2) Utah continues to rely heavily on coal and gas production to meet our electricity needs despite clear evidence that air pollution from fossil fuels harms our health and is the dominant cause of climate change.
Salt Lake City, UT (February 6) — In honor of National Transit Equity Day (February 4), advocates, residents, and the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah (HEAL Utah) have united to call upon the Utah State Legislature to reconsider its funding priorities.
Salt Lake City, UT (February 1, 2024) – HEAL Utah, a leading environmental advocacy organization dedicated to improving Utah’s air quality and safeguarding the well-being of our communities, is deeply concerned about the potential consequences of Senate Bill 57, also known as the Utah Constitutional Sovereignty Act. Sponsored by Senator Sandall, SB 57 seeks to grant Utah the authority to challenge presidential executive orders or federal regulations that are believed to infringe upon Utah’s sovereignty.
Salt Lake City, UT (January 22) – HEAL Utah, a leading environmental advocacy organization, announces its top priorities for the 2024 legislative session. HEAL Utah remains committed to advancing policies that protect communities from air pollution, build an inclusive clean energy future, promote climate resilience and health equity, and safeguard communities from toxic and radioactive waste. These priorities reflect our dedication to creating a sustainable and healthy future for all Utahns.
In response to NuScale and UAMPS canceling the “Carbon Free Power Project,” HEAL Utah underscores the project’s unsustainable cost trajectory and diminishing city participation. The cancellation leaves Utah cities in need of energy solutions, prompting HEAL Utah to advocate for a shift to transparent, community-involved renewable energy sources. Emphasizing a commitment to responsible initiatives, HEAL Utah urges collaboration among stakeholders for inclusive, ethical, and environmentally conscious sustainable energy development.
Advocates for downwinders held a press conference in Salt Lake City urging Utah’s Congressional delegation to support the expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to include all victims of nuclear weapons testing in Utah and other Western states. The bipartisan amendment, included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), awaits conferencing with the House. The expansion, supported by new evidence and resolutions from Utah entities, aims to provide justice to downwinders and uranium miners who suffered illnesses due to nuclear exposure. Despite bipartisan Senate approval, Utah senators did not vote in favor. Urgency is stressed as the current RECA program expires in June.
SALT LAKE CITY, — We commend the recent court decision that aligns with the goals set forth by the Biden Administration to combat the pressing issue of climate change. This decision is a commendable step forward, reflecting a commitment to the well-being of our communities and the preservation of our invaluable waterways. As we stand on the precipice of potentially irreversible feedback loops of global warming, which could lead to catastrophic losses of arable land, biodiversity, and clean water sources, decisions like these are pivotal in our collective effort to mitigate the most severe consequences of climate change.
In partnership with the Utah State Legislature, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR), and the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah (HEAL Utah), the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) is holding Zero Fare for Clean Air days this Thursday and Friday (AUGUST 17 & 18). Zero Fare will be available on all UTA bus and rail services, including bus, TRAX, FrontRunner, the S-Line Streetcar, Paratransit, the Park City-SLC Connect, and UTA On Demand. GREENbike is also offering a free Day Pass on these days; use the promo code 8123 in the GREENbike BCycle app.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Today the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals denied a petition for review that would bring some of Utah’s worst polluting coal plants into compliance with the Clean Air Act’s visibility-protection provisions, instead enabling the Hunter and Huntington plants to continue polluting at the same damaging levels they have for more than a decade. The decision allows polluters to continue threatening air quality for Utah’s communities and muddies views at treasured national parks. The state’s stunning national parks — the Mighty 5 — stretch across southern and central Utah and contain some of the most iconic geological formations in the nation, including world-famous Zion and Arches National Parks. The conservation organizations are represented by Earthjustice and attorney John Barth.
In honor of Latino Conservation Week, Utah organizations are coming together to celebrate the significant contributions of Latinos to environmental protection. The week-long celebration, which begins on July 15th and ends on July 23rd, is an opportunity to highlight the unique and critical role that Latinos play in preserving the environment.
