Grassroots Power at Work

October 6, 2021

To support communications across our teams, and build collective awareness of the fantastic work of Chapter staff and volunteers, we have committed to providing regular quarterly updates. In doing so, these mini-highlights will translate to serve broader community awareness, and offer insight into what our staff and volunteers are up to, and how we are working to tackle the challenges we face to protect people and the planet. Read about recent team wins, campaign & issue updates, and visit us at sierraclub.org/utah/volunteer to learn how you can get involved to help further action in Utah.

Advance Climate Solutions

Beyond Coal Campaign: Pacificorp Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 

The 2021 Pacificorp Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) was filed with all public service commissions in Pacificorp territory as of September 1st, 2021. Sierra Club Utah joined a regional coalition of conservation groups to comment on the IRP that was filed, highlighting the plan’s failure to meet the recommendations of global scientists to transition away from all fossil fuels, as the utility intends to keep coal and gas generation in its resource mix well into the 2040s. View the press statement at bit.ly/SC-IRP-press-statement.

Generally, we are not supportive of this IRP process and find several faults with the outcome, including; gas conversion at Jim Bridger coal units 1 & 2, no modeling of pollution control technology for Clean Air Act compliance, last minute inclusion of the Natrium nuclear plant, limited to no acceleration of coal retirement dates from the 2019 IRP, and more. Sierra Club is moving forward to develop our comments and requests for action in front of the commission and preparing for a hearing and acknowledgment process. Currently, the public has the opportunity to take action to ensure that our Public Service Commissioners represent our best interest. Submit your comment, urging the commission to not acknowledge this IRP, to PSC@utah.gov with the Subject: “Public Comment on Docket No: 21-035-09.” 

Beyond Coal Campaign: Regional Haze 

This summer Sierra Club worked to support community engagement on Regional Haze Round 2 Planning. In Utah we will not see the State Implementation Plan for public comment until October 4th. Our legal team is still in confidential settlement discussions with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding redress of the Round 1 Planning Period issues. We await notification on public action regarding those talks. To learn more about the Regional Haze Rule, check out the summer 2021 issue of the Utah Sierran at: www.sierraclub.org/utah/newsletters. 

Climate Action Campaign: 

Sierra Club Utah was honored to partner with Fridays For Future Utah in the planning and success of the Global Climate Strike at the Utah State Capitol, September 24. This event brought together youth activists from across the state as part of a global movement led by youth around the world demanding intersectional climate justice. 

According to Fridays For Future Utah, “The science behind climate change has been here for decades, yet this government has done nothing but aggravate the issue. We have tried to be patient, but the truth is we are running out of time. The climate crisis and the justice issues that follow only continue to worsen. We cannot wait for someone to come up with solutions. We have to be the solution, and we have to act now.” 

To see highlights from the event and stay up to date about future climate strikes, follow Fridays For Future Utah on Facebook and Instagram @Fridaysforfutureutah. We also invite you to make a commitment to further action in Utah by signing up for a local Sierra Club volunteer team today: www.sierraclub.org/utah/volunteer.

UYES: 100% Clean Energy School Districts Campaign: At the start of the school year the Park City School District unanimously passed a Collective Commitment on Clean Energy establishing the goal of achieving 100% clean energy by 2030. This effort was led by students from Park City’s high and middle schoolers, in collaboration with Utah Sierra Club and Recycle Utah. In advance of the August 17th board meeting, students submitted a petition in support of the resolution to the board signed by 500 district students, parents, and staff. With support from Sierra Club Utah, student efforts continue in Granite, Canyons, and the Davis school district to call for 100% clean energy in our local schools. 

Utah Legislative Team:

This summer Sierra Club Utah hosted an intro to lobby training to provide tools and training for our Legislative Team. Team members had an opportunity to develop skills to build a relationship with local legislators, and help shift the political landscape to ensure bold climate action that protects our lives, our climate, and our democracy. After the training, Sierra Club Utah published a digital Utah Lobby Toolkit with a step by step guide to plan and host a lobby meeting, and testify in committee meetings. You can download the Utah Lobby Toolkit at bit.ly/UT-Lobby-Toolkit. 

Protect Lands, Water, Air, Wildlife

Federal Coal Leasing Program Review 

This summer, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) accepted comments on the federal coal leasing program. During the leasing review Sierra Club is calling for:

  • A pause in new coal leases during the review: New leases last for 20 years, and the next decade is crucial to preventing runaway climate disruption. BLM should not issue new leases that threaten long-term consequences while it rethinks long-term plans for our public lands.

  • Rejecting the proposed expansion of the Alton coal mine near Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah: The Alton proposal is the wrong project, in the wrong place, at the wrong time.  Located on public lands just 10 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park, the Biden Administration has been forced to take another look at a project approved under President Trump. 

  • Forcing coal companies to pay for their climate damage: Right now, coal companies pay ZERO for the climate harms they impose on the rest of us.  Sierra Club is asking BLM to change that by incorporating climate costs into existing leases as they come up for renewal, which only happens once every 10 years.

To date, Sierra Club activists from across the country have helped deliver over 18,000 public comments in opposition to fossil fuel leasing on public lands. The message is clear: the mining and burning of coal is a thing of the past. It pollutes the air we breathe, the water we drink, and is a significant cause of the climate crisis. It threatens wildlife, carves up public lands and, when the tail end of boom-and-bust cycles hit, coal companies seek bankruptcy protections while dumping unmet pensions and healthcare promises to their workers.

For the latest updates on the federal coal leasing program, and to tell BLM to keep coal where it belongs– in the ground–visit bit.ly/end-fossil-fuel-leasing.  

Our Wild America: Oil and Gas

With a move to lift the oil and gas leasing moratorium, there will be a quarterly lease sale in 2022 in Utah. Sierra Club Utah is working to organize the west in an effort to drive public comment in opposition to the six parcels being offered in Utah and greater opposition across the west. The unfolding climate crisis demands a managed wind down of oil and gas development

on our public lands. These sales stand in direct contradiction to the urgent need to address the climate crisis and its detrimental impacts. We are deeply invested in sound stewardship of our public lands, ensuring that they equitably benefit all people, address environmental justice, protect biodiversity, and serve as a solution to—not a cause of—climate change. To learn more and to sign up for on-going updates, visit www.sierraclub.org/utah/lands. 

Resources:

  • BLM Utah 2022 First Quarter Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale: tinyurl.com/3w9rw9cn

  • BLM Q1 2022 Lease Sales, Western Parcels: tinyurl.com/yzt9ee6k

Lisbon Valley Mining Update: The Division has determined that, in response to numerous public comments, two key aspects of the draft permit for Lisbon Valley Mining will be revised. 

  • First, the DWQ requested a third-party review of the financial assurance component of the permit. 

  • Second, they are revising the Aquifer Exemption section of the permit so that it can stand alone, that is without incorporating parts of the application by reference.  We hope these changes will add clarity and simplify the draft permit for its review, understanding, and purpose.

  • Opportunity: Once these two items are complete, there will be a public notice for a second comment period. Please stay tuned for more updates and information at sierraclub.org/utah. 

Uinta Basin Railway (UBR): Sierra Club Utah signed a letter to the Forest Service requesting a meeting to oppose the SCIC’s request for a 50-year right of way in the Ashley National Forest for the development of the UBR. Working to submit an action alert to build momentum for the recent report unveiling the misuse of fundings from the CIB. 

Air Quality - 179B(b) Demonstration: Sierra Club Utah is coordinating with UPHE (Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment), WRA (Western Resource Advocates), and HEAL Utah to plan public outreach efforts to oppose the state’s attempt to receive an exception to the rules and remain out of attainment for ozone along the Northern Wasatch Front -- without consequence.  August saw a number of press hits unveiling new information highlighting the industry’s impact on the 179B(b) demonstration. We supported the efforts to move this story forward. 

Recommended Reading: 

Sierra Club Utah has been working to spread the story more broadly and continue to follow this effort -- anticipating a presentation at the September 15th Public Utilities Interim Legislative Committee meeting -- emphasizing ozone in Utah. We are organizing press and meetings with committee members to ensure the climate action perspective is represented. This effort to systematically undermine clean air in Utah could leave millions vulnerable to poor air quality exacerbated by the legislature prioritizing the interests of the extractive industry at the expense of action on climate, public health, and a fair playing field for taxpayers.