Healthy Environment Alliance Of Utah

HEAL UTAH PROMOTES RENEWABLE ENERGY AND CLEAN AIR AND PROTECTS PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT FROM DIRTY, TOXIC AND NUCLEAR ENERGY THREATS.

AIR QUALITY THE ORGANIZATION ADDRESSES THREE MAIN AIR POLLUTION EMISSION SOURCES VEHICLES, AREA SOURCES, AND INDUSTRYBY WORKING WITH THE STATE LEGISLATURE, REGULATORY AGENCIES, THE PRIVATE BUSINESS SECTOR, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO ENSURING STATE LAWS AND PUBLIC POLICIES THAT PROTECT UTAHNS FROM AIR POLLUTION. DURING 2021 HEAL WORKED TO: - SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT CREATED A PERMANENT DIESEL VEHICLE EMISSION TESTING PROGRAM IN UTAH COUNTY, AUTHORIZED A 1.4 BILLION BOND FOR SPECIFIC TRANSIT AND RECREATION PROJECTS RANGING FROM IMPROVING BUS RAPID TRANSIT, DOUBLE-TRACKING FRONTRUNNER AND PERFORMING ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES. - DEFEAT BILLS THAT WOULD HAVE DRAMATICALLY INCREASED REGISTRATION SURCHARGE FEES FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND MERGE THE DIVISION OF AIR QUALITY WITH THE DIVISION OF OIL, GAS, AND MINING. - MEET WITH MEMBERS OF THE UTAH INLAND PORT AUTHORITY BOARD AND LEGISLATORS TO PURSUE MECHANISMS THAT WOULD ASSURE MUCH MORE RIGOROUS MECHANISMS FOR PUBLIC INPUT, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND TRANSPARENCY REGARDING THE ACTUAL IMPACTS OF THAT DEVELOPMENT. - OPPOSE EFFORTS BY THE OIL, GAS, AND MINING INDUSTRIES TO OBTAIN A FEDERAL WAIVER THAT WOULD EXEMPT THE STATE FROM THE EPA'S REQUIREMENTS TO COMPLY WITH OZONE STANDARDS. - BEGIN ENGAGING WITH POLICYMAKERS AND ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS ON THE LOOMING THREAT TO AIR QUALITY ALONG THE WASATCH FRONT POSED BY THE SHRINKING OF THE GREAT SALT LAKE.

NUCLEAR THE ORGANIZATION ADDRESSES NUCLEAR WASTE ISSUES BY HARNESSING THE POWER OF GRASSROOTS ADVOCATES, EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON THE TECHNICAL SCIENCE BEHIND THE HAZARDS OF NUCLEAR WASTE, AND WATCHDOGGING CORPORATIONS THAT PROFIT FROM IT. DURING 2021, THE ORGANIZATION'S NUCLEAR INITIATIVES INCLUDED: - LEADING AN ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN TO CONVINCE 8 UTAH CITIES TO WITHDRAW FROM PARTICIPATING IN A PROPOSED NUCLEAR POWER PROJECT, REDUCING ITS SUPPORT BY OVER 50%. OUR VIGOROUS OPPOSITION TO THE MISLEADINGLY NAMED CARBON FREE POWER PROJECT HAS LEFT THE UTAH ASSOCIATED MUNICIPAL POWER SYSTEMS (UAMPS) WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO SUCCEED IN THE PROJECT. - MAINTAINING OUR WORK AS A WATCHDOG OF EVERY STEP OF ENERGYSOLUTIONS PERMIT REQUESTS TO DISPOSE OF SO-CALLED DEPLETED URANIUM AND CREATE A NEW SOLID WASTE LANDFILL FOR THE DEBRIS FROM NUCLEAR POWER PLANT DECOMMISSIONING PROJECTS. WE CONTINUE TO OPPOSE ANY EFFORT BY ENERGYSOLUTIONS TO BRING MORE TOXIC WASTE TO UTAH. - ACTIVELY OPPOSED THE EFFORTS OF ENERGY FUELS TO DISPOSE OF FOREIGN RADIOACTIVE WASTE AT THEIR WHITE MESA URANIUM MILL (THE LAST OPERATING CONVENTIONAL URANIUM MILL IN THE UNITED STATES) NEAR BLANDING. IN JULY 2020, THE UTAH DIVISION OF WASTE MANAGEMENT AND RADIATION CONTROL APPROVED WHITE MESA MILL'S PLAN TO ACCEPT AND PROCESS RADIOACTIVE WASTE FROM TWO FACILITIES RUN BY THE JAPAN ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY. AS OF DECEMBER 2021, THE US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) IS PREVENTING THE ENERGY FUELS WHITE MESA MILL FROM PROCESSING HAZARDOUS WASTE, DUE TO WHAT THE AGENCY REPORTS AS A LACK OF ADEQUATE LIQUID COVER ON ONE OF THEIR WASTE CELLS. THIS COMES AFTER EXTENSIVE PUBLIC FEEDBACK FROM ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING HEAL UTAH WHO HAVE SUBMITTED FORMAL COMPLAINTS AND CHALLENGES TO THE PROPOSAL. WITH SUPPORT FROM HEAL UTAHS POLICY TEAM, MEMBERS OF THE UTE MOUNTAIN UTE TRIBE ARE ACTIVELY FIGHTING AGAINST THE ACTIVE MILL AND HELD AN ANNUAL PROTEST AND SPIRITUAL WALK TO THE WHITE MESA MILL. - CONVINCING MEMBERS OF UTAHS FEDERAL DELEGATION TO SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT EXPANDS THE TIMEFRAME AND ELIGIBILITY IN THE RADIOACTIVE EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT (RECA) FOR DOWNWINDERS. THE CHANGES IN THIS LEGISLATION WILL ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE FIGHTING OR WILL FIGHT SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES WILL RECEIVE THE COMPENSATION THEY NEED TO SURVIVE. RECA PROVIDES FINANCIAL COMPENSATION TO PEOPLE EXPOSED TO RADIATION FROM U.S. NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTING AND URANIUM MINING. S.2798/H.R.5338 WOULD EXTEND RECA AND EXPAND COVERAGE TO MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES EXPOSED TO RADIATION. WITHOUT THIS ACTION, RECA WILL EXPIRE IN JULY 2022 AND THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO RECEIVE COMPENSATION RELATED TO THEIR SACRIFICES.

TRANSITION TO CLEAN ENERGY THE ORGANIZATION WORKS TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE BY FOCUSING ON UTAHS TRANSITION FROM FOSSIL FUELS TO RENEWABLE ENERGY. THE ORGANIZATION TARGETS CHANGES IN INDUSTRY, LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY POLICY, AND INDIVIDUAL CHOICES AND BEHAVIORS. DURING 2021, THESE INITIATIVES INCLUDED: - ASSISTING ABOUT TWO DOZEN UTAH COMMUNITIES SERVED BY ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER IN PURSUING THEIR 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY THROUGH THE COMMUNITY RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAM. - CONTINUING TO PURSUE OUR CHALLENGE OF THE EPAS REGIONAL HAZE RULING THAT GAVE UTAHS COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS A PASS. HEAL IS CHALLENGING A TRUMP-ERA RULE THAT LET PACIFICORP AVOID REDUCING ITS CO2 EMISSIONS FROM COAL- FIRED POWER PLANTS IS MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE COURTS. - EXPANDING OUR WORK TO ACTIVELY ENCOURAGE THE ENFORCEMENT OF METHANE EMISSION REGULATIONS AND OPPOSE EXPANDED FOSSIL FUEL EXTRACTION IN THE UINTA BASIN. - PARTNERING WITH CREATIVE ENERGIES TO OFFER DISCOUNTED ROOFTOP SOLAR INSTALLATIONS TO NEW AND EXISTING HEAL SUPPORTERS. HEAL UTAH PARTNERED WITH A LOCAL B CORP SOLAR COMPANY, CREATIVE ENERGIES, TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH SOLAR PANEL EDUCATION AND DISCOUNTED RATES. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM 15 HOUSEHOLDS INSTALLED SOLAR PANELS AND OVER 200 INDIVIDUALS LEARNED ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF SOLAR AND IF IT WAS A RIGHT FIT FOR THEIR HOME. - WORKING WITH LEGISLATORS TO DEVELOP PROPOSALS FOR TAX INCENTIVES FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES THAT INVEST IN ENERGY STORAGE TECHNOLOGY. MADE SURE HEAL WILL BE A PARTICIPANT IN THE PLANNED REVISION OF UTAHS ENERGY PLAN. - POSITIONING THE ORGANIZATION TO ENSURE IT WILL BE A PARTICIPANT IN THE PLANNED REVISION OF UTAH'S ENERGY PLAN.

SWEET STREETS SWEET STREETS WAS FOUNDED IN 2020 BY A TEAM OF THREE THAT WORKED TO BEGIN BRAND-BUILDING ON AN ADVOCACY GROUP THAT WOULD WORK TO WATCHDOG FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE STREETS IN SALT LAKE CITY SAFER AND MORE CONNECTED FOR PEOPLE TRAVELING OUTSIDE OF CARS. TRANSPORTATION IS THE NO. 1 SOURCE OF PARTICULATE MATTER IN THE SALT LAKE VALLEY, AND THE GROUP CREATED A MISSION AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES TO LEAD THE ORGANIZATION INTO THE FUTURE. HEAL RECOGNIZED THE SWEET STREETS CONCEPT PARTICULARLY ITS SMART GROWTH, CITY-BUILDING COMPONENT AND POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE CLIMATE AS AFFILIATED WITH ITS OWN MISSION AND AGREED TO ACT AS FISCAL SPONSOR FOR SWEET STREETS. DURING 2021, SWEET STREETS ENGAGED IN THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC INITIATIVES: 20 IS PLENTY: SEEK SAFER SPEEDS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH THE ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A 20 MPH SPEED LIMIT ON MOST CITY-OWNED STREETS. 200 SOUTH: TRANSFORM 200 SOUTH INTO A PREMIER TRANSIT CORRIDOR THROUGH DOWNTOWN SALT LAKE CITY.