Utah’s Ability to Protect Health at Risk Under New Legislation
As the federal government continues to slash regulations meant to protect your health and the health of your environment, Utah’s legislators are engaged in a parallel effort to limit our state’s ability to protect Utahns through state regulatory agencies.
A Utah Specific Issue
SB234, Rulemaking Amendments, prevents Utah from taking a protective stance on environmental health and public safety by tying state-level rulemaking to federal standards, and limiting discretion to set higher standards at a time when federal protections are being dramatically weakened.
This bill creates an extremely high legal and scientific bar for action by Utah regulators when no federal standard exists for pollutants, toxic substances, or waste management.
It would require proof of direct, current bodily harm before new limits on pollution or exposure can be adopted, rejecting science that identifies increased risk of disease and the lived experiences of your constituents.
Many illnesses — including cancers and cardiovascular diseases — caused by environmental exposures take years or decades to appear and be diagnosed. Public health protections are meant to prevent harm, not wait for it to show up in medical records.
What SB234 Does
This bill would ban authorized Utah regulators like the Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Air Quality, Division of Water Quality, Division of Waste Management Radioactive Control, and others, from enacting stricter regulations than federal agencies.
The Implications
This bill would limit Utah’s ability to protect public health past federal standards, even when science shows clear risks, restricting when regulators can act on air, water, and toxic exposures. The result is delayed action on harms that may be preventable — putting Utahns’ health at risk.
Over the last several years, regulations protecting air quality, water quality, radioactive exposure, and public participation have been weakened. Air quality standards established in the 1990s to protect public health have been reduced, and federal regulators have rolled back radiation safeguards put in place after nuclear weapons testing and uranium work exposed countless people to radioactive contamination.
If no federal standard exists, this bill sharply limits what state regulations can be based on. Action would be allowed only after an illness is present and diagnosable — not when there is clear scientific evidence that exposure poses a serious risk to health.
We know that long-term air pollution increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, but this bill would prevent regulation unless a direct, immediate link to illness can be proven. The same is true for radioactive exposure, which may not cause harm right away but can damage DNA and lead to cancer years later. Public health protections are meant to prevent illness — not wait until it appears.
Complete Our Action Alert!
Complete this action alert to email your senator and representative. Tell them SB 234 threatens public health and must be opposed. You may use our template, but please add in your personal story!
You can also call your legislator and speak up for stronger public health protections for our families and future. Remember: every action counts. Utahns deserve health protections that go beyond the bare minimum, not limits set by this bill.
- Spread the Word: Share this alert with friends, family, and your network. The more people are aware of these threats, the stronger our collective voice.
- Stay Informed: Follow HEAL Utah for updates and further actions you can take to protect our environment and community.
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