This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
It is time for the Outdoor Retailer show to leave Utah.
According to the University of Utah Bureau of Economic and Business Research, the Outdoor Retailer trade show has contributed $52 million in taxes to the state of Utah over the last 20 years. The Utah Legislature has used some of this tax base to fuel a wide array of anti-environmental policies.
While other Western states make pledges to increase their sustainability and decrease reliance on coal, the Utah has filed a lawsuit against the EPA to stop efforts to reduce coal emissions.
Utah legislators approved $53 million to help build a port in California to increase coal exports, only to be rebuked by a more environmentally aware Oakland City Council.
Pollution in the Salt Lake Valley contributes negatively to the health of our children, yet there is minimal legislative action to improve air quality.
In 2012 the Legislature passed the Utah Transfer of Public Lands Act to require the transfer of federal lands to the state — a so-far empty threat that becomes increasingly attainable under the Trump administration. Utah's political leaders voiced strong opposition to the designation of Bears Ears National Monument, and now, despite popular support, have vowed to fight until the designation is overturned. The list of poor environmental policies perpetrated by the Utah could go on and on.
Every dollar that we spend is a vote for the character of the world that we wish to inhabit. Now, more than ever, environmentally-concerned citizens look to sustainable businesses to lead where our new administration will not.
Outdoor Retailer, please stop supporting the poor environmental policies of the state of Utah. It is time to take your dollars elsewhere.
Annie Baczek
Huntsville