Environmentalists and climate-change activists faced several defeats in the legislative session this year, with lawmakers repeatedly taking a strident stances against climate-change warnings.

They passed HB395, by Rep. Mike Noel, aimed at protecting utilities and energy producers from potential lawsuits claiming damage from greenhouse gas emissions. Anti-climate change resolutions also passed. HJR12 calls on the EPA and Congress to avoid any cap-and-trade or other CO2 regulations, pending "a full and independent investigation" of climate change science. Debate about the resolution caused controversy and legislators stripped out language condemning a "conspiracy" of global warming advocates and their data, while sponsoring Rep. Kerry Gibson, R-Ogden, criticized scientists from the University of Utah and Brigham Young University testifying against the bill.

HJR21 is a nonbinding resolution calling on Herbert to pull Utah out of the Western Climate Initiative, because of the possibility it would eventually support cap-and-trade policies.

The Legislature also killed a bill, SB128, which would have clarified that businesses can voluntarily participate in carbon credit exchanges, though the practice remains legal.

Christian Vanderhooft