As a parent, when I think of progress, I think of it in terms of my children. The quality of life they have now and what the future holds for them.
At this point, our kids will be inheriting a lot of problems in the name of progress, including a depletion of regenerative natural resources, such as water. With the ongoing inland port projects across the state we must create safeguards for wetlands and bodies of water that are threatened by overdevelopment.
I equate the inland port developments to cancer. We can intervene now and lessen the damage they will cause or continue to allow the cancer to destroy what is healthy and beautiful. In this case, intervention is still an option.
How can you help? Well, one small action is to reach out to your legislators and ask them to amend Senate Bill 225 (titled “Public Corporation Amendments”) by enacting, at minimum, a 200,000 gallon per day cap on water use by each business, instead of allowing unfettered water use by industrial developers in these project areas.
For more information, go to www.stopthepollutingport.org and read the latest report, “Running Out of Water: Utah Inland Port Development” in the Great Salt Lake Basin that came out on Feb. 18.
Let’s create real progress by preserving, protecting and helping to restore the natural regenerative resources available.
Maurena Grossman, Salt Lake City
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