SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah — Hundreds of frustrated members of the Millcreek community filled their city hall Wednesday night, with city leaders standing right beside residents as they spoke out against a proposed gravel mine up Parley’s Canyon.
Many were from the Mount Aire and Canyon Rim communities and brought renewed, vehement opposition to a fight they thought they’d won years ago.
“We can't leave the doors open, we can’t open our windows so what are we going to do?” said one resident. “We’re gonna add another gravel pit so we can get a little bit more dust?”
For decades, they have felt the issues of air quality acutely. Bonnie Hooper’s lived in the area since 1972.
“My backyard, my home and my garage is full of dust and grit,” said Hooper. “I have asthma and heart problems. I endure bi-monthly injections to keep my lungs open.”
She fears those issues will only be exacerbated by the Parley’s Canyon mine that Granite Construction has proposed.
“The proposed facility would function as a standalone aggregate, mining, crushing and screening operation,” said Alan Humphreys, who manages minor ‘New Source Reviews’ (NSRs) for the Utah Division of Air Quality (DAQ)
DAQ has issued an intent to approve a new mining permit for the six-acre plot, which prompted the ongoing public comment period.
“The division of air quality has determined the proposed project and permit would meet all applicable state and federal requirements,” Humphreys continued.
But remembering a previous proposition of 600+ acres, opponents aren’t sold on it staying small.
“They’re trying to get their foot in the door now with an extremely small mine that doesn’t make any economic sense,” said Dr. Brian Moench, who serves as president of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment.
Dr. Moench says the sense comes into play when you look at House Bill 355 from last year.
“The legislature also passed a bill that allows mine operators to expand to contiguous land,” Dr. Moench added.
So he says if California-based company Tree Farm, LLC can sell to Granite, “it could end up being 1,500 acres,” which would approach three-quarters of the size of the Rio Tinto Kennecott Copper Mine in the southwest end of the Salt Lake Valley.
In a statement, Granite’s CMCO, Erin Kuhlman, told FOX 13 News:
“The I-80 South Quarry will provide vital construction materials that become the schools, roads, hospitals, and other infrastructure that all Utahns rely upon.
Granite has been part of the Wasatch Front community for many decades and is a trusted partner on some of the most important projects throughout the region. Granite is committed to Utah and committed to maintaining high standards of operation at this project.”
But the concerns swirling around it had both residents and city leaders speaking out well into the night - including Millcreek’s mayor.
“We are up against a formidable opponent,” said Mayor Cheri Jackson. “They have deep pockets and they will continue fighting this battle and paying the legal fees.”
Mayor Jackson says after nine years in public office, the company hasn’t once approached her to discuss the project. So she says the community needs to remain vigilant in representing its viewpoint for the thousands it could affect.
“These are not hypotheticals, we know dust comes from the existing quarry,” Mayor Jackson said, addressing DAQ officials.
“We appreciate your time, your service, and your consideration of Millcreek’s concerns, thank you,” she added to rapturous applause.
DAQ officials say once the comment period ends on January 31, they must then respond to all the written and public comments before passing on a memo to the attorney general’s office and issuing their final decision.
There’s no definitive timeline. But with the high volume of comments that were made, they expect it will take at least a month.
