It’s not unusual for development to turn a blind eye to potential and known threats to public health and quality of life. But, these days, that seems to be the norm. If ever there were a time for deliberate, careful planning before we ruin an exceptionally nice place to live, this is it.
We all understand air quality is our most serious public health issue. Yet rampant massive development and highway projects such as the prison relocation and Inland Port, which will seriously exacerbate air quality, continue.
As many politicians consider air quality improvement an impediment to development, new highways are favored over education, life-supporting wetlands and water supplies. Every piece of land available for rental development in Salt Lake City is under construction regardless of impacts to local communities. And now, unbelievably, officials are struggling to decide whether or not to approve a permit that allows EnergySolutions to accept depleted uranium while knowing doing so will create a deadly health threat to generations of future Utahns.
Question: Why would any sane person, or politician, even consider such a project (or any of these projects)? Answer: Greed.
This November, vote for and demand public health, education and quality of life.
Dan Mayhew, Salt Lake City
