HEAL Utah

AARP Community Challenge: Building Healthy, Equitable, and Livable Streets

Our ability to get from place to place is the foundation for building a thriving community. Transportation planning and policy plays an essential role in creating equity in our neighborhoods, as it shapes how a community connects to the services necessary for a healthy, prosperous, and fulfilling life. We are excited to be part of the AARP Community Challenge Grant, which supports HEAL’s goal of building healthy, equitable, and livable communities in Salt Lake City and beyond.

The Power of Mobility: How Mobile Air Quality Monitors Reveal Neighborhood-Level Disparities

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.

From FAIR to HEAL: Our Journey of Environmental Advocacy in Utah

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.