This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The recent Tribune article revealed the state's decision to reject the site with environmental issues and old landfill concerns is faulty, ill-conceived and wrong.
To select a site with such sensitive and internationally recognized environmental assets, including critical wildlife habitat and impingement on Great Salt Lake's wetland, is poor governance and not in the best interests of the state and its citizens.
The site closer to the International Center is preferred because it avoids detrimental impacts that cannot be mitigated, whereas conditions at the landfill can! In fact, the state should consider it an obligation to clean-up, improve, and completely mitigate past poor land management decisions.
Soil conditions need to be completely modified regardless. Why not apply that expertise to a site that cannot be developed without special attention and avoid the site with the greatest environmental concern? If we have to have a prison in the northwest quadrant of our city, it seems the state owes us good decision-making that mitigates a recognized and man-made hazard rather than risk destroying a much-recognized and valued resource.
Jan Striefel
Salt Lake City