Air quality in the Salt Lake Valley has been a concern for decades. We debate the Great Salt Lake, polluting industries, vehicle emissions, winter inversions, surrounding sand and gravel operations, and the Valley’s unique geography, which traps pollution. These are not academic debates or abstract policy exercises — they are serious discussions about the air we breathe every day. Protecting it demands transparency, rigorous oversight, decisive action and the courage to say “no” when a proposal threatens public health and our quality of life.
For 35 years, I’ve lived at the mouth of Parleys Canyon — directly “downwind” from the Harper/Kilgore mining operation. Living with constant fugitive dust, frequent cleanup and lingering anxiety over health impacts takes a toll. It reinforces a simple truth: Air pollution is not theoretical when you live with it.
We face the prospect of yet another sand and gravel pit proposed for Parleys Canyon — bringing renewed concern, frustration and alarm. About 274,000 people live within an eight-mile radius of the proposed site.
This is not an isolated industrial zone; it is a forestry and recreation gateway to the Salt Lake Valley — a place where people live, recreate and breathe the same air.
When the proposed mine in Parleys Canyon first surfaced in November 2021, residents were stunned. It shocked all who care deeply about clean air, clean water, wildlife, mountains and the character of our communities. Four years later, thousands of residents and groups have worked to stop this ill-conceived project. We have had meaningful successes, but the developers — Granite Construction and Tree Farm, LLC — seem to be betting that public opposition will eventually fade. We cannot allow that to happen.
Consider the record:
- More than 27,500 residents signed a petition opposing this mine.
- The Department of Air Quality (DAQ) reports: “The majority of complaints received by the DAQ are from construction projects and aggregate pits.”
- Salt Lake County officials have publicly stated they will not issue a conditional use permit for this proposed mine.
- A 2022 lawsuit challenging Salt Lake County’s land use authority remains pending, repeatedly rescheduled and now delayed again until after the 2026 legislative session.
- Thousands of public comment letters have been submitted to the DAQ and the Division of Oil, Gas and Mining.
- Numerous public hearings have shown overwhelming opposition.
- Over the past three legislative sessions, there have been multiple attempts to pass laws favoring the mining industry by limiting local control and streamlining approvals — efforts that undermine counties and cities’ ability to protect public health, air quality, water resources and the environment.
- Granite Construction and Tree Farm, LLC have repeatedly revised and resubmitted applications — from 634 acres to 20. This raises serious questions about their intentions. Are these changes a piecemeal tactic to obtain a small foothold, with the goal being future expansion and to bypass proper regulatory oversight?
- HB355, passed in 2025, will prohibit local governments from denying expansion of existing gravel pits on property they already own.
Parleys Canyon deserves better. Let’s keep it clean, scenic and wild — not sacrificed for industrial gain at the expense of public health and community well-being.
So what, exactly, is blowing in the wind?
- A sustained, multiyear push to force through another open-pit mine by developers in one of the most scenic and important gateways to the Salt Lake Valley.
- Increased fugitive dust and air pollution in a region already struggling with poor air quality.
- A permanent scar on the Grandeur Peak recreation area.
- Added stress on an already sensitive water supply.
- A troubling attempt to erode Salt Lake County’s authority to oversee and regulate land use.
A critical moment is before us. The DAQ is holding a public hearing on Wednesday, Jan. 28, from 5-7 p.m. at Millcreek City Hall regarding this proposal. It is an important opportunity for residents to speak directly to the agency responsible for evaluating and approving numerous harmful impacts of this proposal.
Your voice matters. Your presence matters. The air belongs to all of us — and so does the responsibility to protect it.