Two weeks ago,10 courageous Logan high school and college students traveled to the Utah State Capitol. They came to request support for a resolution that they had drafted. They found success: Sen. Jim Dabakis agreed to sponsor their resolution, now SJR 9, “Joint Resolution on Climate Change.” It states that climate change is occurring and presents both a risk and an opportunity. This resolution is an invitation for Utah to join the discussion on climate.
Why did these young people want the Legislature to pass their resolution? The story goes back to SJR 12, a resolution the state Legislature passed in 2010. SJR 12 basically said that human-caused climate change is not occurring, and thus the EPA should not regulate greenhouse gases. Since then, the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the EPA’s mandate to regulate greenhouse emissions. Why? Because they agree with the solid scientific evidence that human-caused global warming is damaging our common home.
On Friday, Sen. Margaret Dayton, chair of the House Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee, decided the resolution would not be debated in her committee, effectively shutting it down. If you agree with the students, let Sen. Dayton know. With enough public input, perhaps she will let the legislative process unfold.
David Folland
Sandy