I want to applaud the governor’s Utah Leads Together plan, especially its promise to address the inequities in our country and our own community. On paper, the plan sounds good, though I did not see a focus on improving Utah’s air quality while building its economy. I hope the plan addresses the inland port. I hope that legislators will honor the aspirations in their plan by withdrawing the funds allocated to the inland port until the UIPA presents a plan that addresses its environmental impact with more than empty promises.
The port’s recent business plan does not assure an equitable distribution of income, nor does it do much more than make promises about sustainability. The pollution the port will generate (think an estimated 24,000 diesel trucks a day, plus additional rail and air traffic) will most severely affect people of color, those most impacted by the coronavirus.
Utah has the opportunity to set an example for the country on ways to create an equitable distribution of wealth while moving forward on environmental safeguards. Currently, the inland port contradicts the governor’s promise. Contact the UIPA members and your legislators and ask them to stop the port until it can guarantee it will not make a few wealthier on the backs of those less fortunate and it will not increase our air pollution. When legislators match their aspirations with concrete actions, it will truly be a time to applaud.
Patricia Becnel
Ogden