In November 2021, Tree Farm LLC filed an application with the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining (DOGM) to open a 634-acre limestone quarry in Parley’s Canyon. Tree Farm later hired Granite Construction to help manage the mine.
In response to Tree Farm’s application, Salt Lake County passed an ordinance banning new mining projects in the Wasatch Mountains. Tree Farm filed a lawsuit challenging the county’s ban. Although the lawsuit is ongoing, we’ve seen efforts by Tree Farm and Granite Construction to pass legislation that would help them win in court (read more about HB 527 Mining Operations Amendments). Thanks to your engagement, we’ve staved off those efforts for now.
Save Our Canyons strongly opposes the proposed mine in Parley’s Canyon because of the grave impacts it will have on our water supply, air quality, wildlife, and recreation opportunities.
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Why We Oppose the Parley’s Canyon Mine
The proposed mine in Parley’s Canyon would:
Jeopardize our water supply and efforts to save the Great Salt Lake
- Parley’s Canyon is part of a protected watershed area. Dust and debris produced by the mine would pollute nearby streams and reservoirs, contaminating our water supply.
- When dust settles on top of snow, it accelerates the melting process. Dust from the mine would cause snow to melt faster in nearby canyons, resulting in less water making it to reservoirs in the summer.
- Mining requires water for both dust mitigation and mineral extraction. It’s estimated that 144 truck trips per day will be required to transport upwards of 1 billion gallons of water annually for this project. In a drought where we can’t even get water into a dying Great Salt Lake and drying Colorado River Basin, and need to figure out how to reduce water consumption by 2-4 MILLION ACRE FEET, where do they plan to get all this water?
Worsen air quality for everyone in the Salt Lake Valley
- Crystalline silica, a particle often found in dust from mines, is a known carcinogen. Paired with frequent high down-canyon winds in Parley’s Canyon, the fugitive dust will introduce harmful particulates into our air and worsen air quality. It’s not uncommon for Salt Lake City to already have some of the worst air quality in the world.
Disrupt wildlife in an important migration corridor
- Parley's Canyon is home to wildlife that depend on the canyon for food, water, and as a migration corridor. With snowpack above 500 inches, wildlife (elk, moose, mule deer, etc.) have to move to lower elevations to find food. As we develop farther into the areas wildlife depend on during heavy winters, wildlife will be pushed into areas where they shouldn’t be. In February 2023, 50 to 60 elk moved into the mouth of Parley’s Canyon. Three died after being struck by cars. The proposed mine would remove habitat and impair the natural resources these animals rely on, while threatening a cornerstone of biodiversity along the Wasatch Front.
Impede recreation opportunities for canyon visitors
- The proposed mine would impede recreational opportunities, such as hunting and hiking, at the mouth of the canyon.
We believe the public should have a say in how our lands are used and our resources managed. As a community, you’ve taken over 34,000 actions to protect Parley’s Canyon, from comments submitted to local officials to the petition to stop the mine.
Local governing bodies, such as Salt Lake County and the Central Wasatch Commission, also spoke out against the proposal. Nevertheless, Tree Farm and Granite Construction continue to ignore the overwhelming conviction to protect what our region holds dear: our lands, our air, and our water.
Timeline
Nov 2021
- Jesse Lassley, the owner of Tree Farm LLC, filed a request for both a 20-acre Small Mine Operation (SMO) and a 634-acre Large Mine Operation (LMO) near the mouth of Parley’s Canyon. The proposed mine, known as the I-80 South Quarry Project, would extract granite, limestone, and other aggregate materials that are used in construction to meet growing pressures along the Wasatch Front.
December 2021
- DOGM denied the small mine request in order to review the large mine request, which undergoes a more intensive process, including public hearings and public comments.
- We voiced our concerns with over 2,000 comments to the Salt Lake County Council, and in response to your advocacy, the County unanimously initiated an ordinance change to two important zones that govern land use in the Wasatch Mountains of Salt Lake County – the Forest Recreation Zone (FR) and the Foothills and Canyons Overlay Zone (FCOZ).
February 2022
- Salt Lake County held two public hearings before the Salt Lake County Planning Commissions and Mountainous Planning Commission, where 100% of the public comment was in support of the proposed changes to the ordinances.
March 2022
- DOGM granted a request by Tree Farm to withdraw their simultaneous applications for a small and large mine and granted them the ability to resubmit the small mine application on its own. This procedural sleight of hand effectively requires DOGM to advance analysis of the small mine, ignoring the large mine which Tree Farm reserves the right to refile — but DOGM cannot evaluate the impacts as thoroughly as small mine operations are in effect a rubber stamp exercise.
April 2022
- Salt Lake County passed a land use ordinance that prohibits mining and gravel pits in the Wasatch Mountains.
May 2022
- Tree Farm filed a lawsuit against Salt Lake County alleging that the County’s zoning ordinance revision violates state law.
June 2022
- Tree Farm chose Granite Construction, a global company based out of California, to operate the mine. Granite Construction filed a new request for a 20-acre mine for the I-80 South Quarry.
August 2022
- DOGM approved the 20-acre mine that was filed by Granite Construction, despite widespread opposition from the public and county officials.
This opposition includes over 26,000 petition signatures, thousands of comments sent to county and state officials, letters from Millcreek and SLC mayors, and a joint letter from the Central Wasatch Commission.
https://saveourcanyons.org/images/pdfs-doc/Approved_Final_Tree_Farm_Order_-_signed.pdf
Spring 2023
- Rep. Kevin Stratton of Orem proposed the HB527 Mining Operations Amendments, which would have not only allowed this project to bypass Salt Lake County’s land use authority but also enormously expand the acreage of the project. This bill did not pass out of the House Rules Committee.
