Utahns ‘Filibuster’ at Capitol, Demand Measurable Emissions Reductions as EPA says State Plan Fails to Deliver

Utah – On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, clean air advocates gathered at the Utah State Capitol, for a powerful “filibuster,” reading aloud from 6,000 public comments submitted to the EPA. The comments called for stronger pollution controls for Utah’s worst coal polluters – the Hunter and Huntington coal plants. The action follows EPA’s August 19, 2024 proposed rule, which partially disapproved Utah’s haze plan for failing to include pollution controls. The EPA’s proposed decision kicked off a 30-day public comment period that concluded on the day of the advocates’ demonstration, underscoring the growing demand for cleaner air and strengthened regulations. EPA has until November 22, 2024 to issue its final rule. 

Regional haze pollution in Utah tarnishes views in the state’s iconic “mighty five” national parks, with coal-fired power plants overwhelmingly contributing to haze pollution in the state and across the region. Their continued unchecked emissions impact public health, contribute to heart attacks, and even death. 

Once every decade, Utah has the opportunity to propose a state implementation plan (SIP) to the EPA to reduce haze pollution from some of its worst coal plants, which also rank among the worst sources of haze pollution in the region. Utah submitted its inadequate plan in May of 2022; it not only failed to include enforceable pollution reduction measures to restore visibility and air quality in national parks, but would allow these coal plans to instead increase emissions. Now that EPA’s public comment period has ended, clean air advocates are urging the agency to finalize its partial disapproval, and enact a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) to enforce stricter emissions regulations to hold polluters accountable. 

EPA has until November 22, 2024 to issue its final rule based on a consent decree signed by the U.S. District Court in response to legal action by Earthjustice, Environment Integrity Project, National Parks Conservation Association, and Sierra Club to include deadlines for the agency to take action on 32 states’ plans to reduce haze pollution in national parks and wilderness areas. If EPA finalizes its current decision to disapprove the SIP, it has two years to implement a FIP. 

“The Hunter and Huntington coal plants have emitted thousands of tons of pollution, unchecked – spoiling the views of the landscapes we love, threatening public health, and worsening the climate crisis,” said Luis Miranda, Organizer for the Sierra Club in Utah. “The comments read today reflect a clear message from the public: it’s time for measurable pollution controls that will keep coal plants accountable so that clean air can be restored. The community call is clear – we need EPA to finalize its proposal to disapprove the inadequate that Utah submitted in 2022.”

“Some of the largest sources of pollution contributing to haze in our national parks have been off the hook for decades,”  said Cory MacNulty, Campaign Director for the Southwest Region at the National Parks Conservation Association. The EPA’s draft decision to partially disapprove Utah’s regional haze plan is a step toward holding these major polluters accountable. These emissions cloud the stunning vistas and starry skies of national parks like Zion, Arches and Bryce Canyon. Visitors from around the world come to see these iconic landscapes and clear night skies, and they deserve better. We urge the EPA to use this once-in-a-decade chance to prioritize clear skies, healthy air, and climate action in  our national parks and for the people who cherish them.”

“Having grown up exploring Zion and Bryce Canyon, I’ve witnessed firsthand how smog has clouded our national parks,” said Phil Brueck, former Deputy Superintendent, Southeast Utah Group and Member, Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks. “This haze is now present year-round, diminishing the breathtaking views and signaling poor air quality that impacts public health and visitor experience. Our national parks should offer pristine vistas and clean air, not obscured horizons and smog-filled skies. We need a robust regional haze plan to cut emissions and restore the clarity that defines Utah’s national parks.”

“For decades, Utahns have been subjected to the dire health consequences of emissions from these polluting power plants which muddy our skies and clog our lungs, said Lexi Tuddenham, Executive Director of HEAL Utah.  “The EPA’s draft partial disapproval of Utah’s haze plan opens the door for clear, quantifiable, and substantive action that will create a healthier future and serve Utah’s people and the stunning landscapes that we call home.” 

"The pollution from Hunter and Huntington have represented a health hazard to people throughout Southern Utah and beyond. The issue goes far beyond visibility—it’s about health. Regional haze isn’t just something that obscures our views; it’s made up of tiny particles like PM2.5, ozone, and nitrogen oxides, which is a triple health threat, toxic in and of itself, but a precursor of both PM2.5 and ozone. To protect public health and the environment, the EPA must safeguard our air quality by disapproving of the inadequate regional haze plan that the state of Utah has submitted," said Jonny Vasic, Executive Director for Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment.

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