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Environmental Issues In 2017 Legislature: A Mixed Bag

Utah legislators delivered some big messages on public lands during this year’s 45 days of lawmaking. But air-quality and other environmental concerns saw only modest gains – along with some setbacks.

Rep. Keven Stratton, R-Orem, an advocate of putting states in charge of managing public lands, was pleased to see those principles reflected in more than a dozen measures that lawmakers passed this year. He credits  a new Republican administration in the White House for helping set the agenda.

“It seems to be a better stage to do the things we need to do,” he said a few hours before the session ended. “We can put more energy to solutions.”

A resolution to shrink the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, and another to eliminate the new Bears Ears National Monument, prompted the Outdoor Retailers trade show to decide it’s leaving Utah after two decades. Two new state parks are proposed and more multiple-use on public lands for activities like grazing.

Environmental advocates had less to be happy about. Lawmakers are phasing out a tax credit for solar panels. And a bill to continue aclean-vehicle tax credit died.

“Overall, we would have liked to have seen the resolutions on climate change or a carbon tax bill – something truly progressive coming out of this session and it,” said . Ashley Soltysiak, an advocate with HEAL Utah. “And we just didn’t see those major steps forward.”

Advocates had to wait until the day before the session ended to find out that lawmakers fully funded key air-quality programs like updating the state’s pollution monitors.

Judy Fahys has reported in Utah for two decades, covering politics, government and business before taking on environmental issues. She loves covering Utah, where petroleum-pipeline spills, the nation’s radioactive legacy and other types of pollution provide endless fodder for stories. Previously, she worked for the Salt Lake Tribune in Utah, and reported on the nation’s capital for States News Service and the Scripps League newspaper chain. She is a longtime member of the Society of Environmental Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors. She also spent an academic year as a research fellow in the Knight Science Journalism program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In her spare time, she enjoys being out in the environment, especially hiking, gardening and watercolor painting.
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