Crystal Chen

Crystal Chen

Over the past few years, growth and visitation have led to increased pressures on our trails, roadways, and watersheds. The Wasatch Mountains are in the midst of several different projects, from a proposed gondola up Little Cottonwood Canyon to trail planning in the Tri-Canyons to a road widening project in Millcreek Canyon. As we seek to increase safety and access to public lands for all while protecting the environment in the face of a rapidly changing landscape, we must think carefully about our vision for the Wasatch. 

The Upper Millcreek Canyon Road Improvement project aims to improve safety and access in the upper canyon, from the Winter Gate to Big Water Trailhead. Proposed changes include widening Millcreek Canyon Road, adding an uphill bicycle lane from Winter Gate to Elbow Fork, formalizing roadside parking into parking areas, improving drainage, and adding other safety features like striping and guardrails. 

The Environmental Assessment (EA) for this project is open for review until April 5th, 2024. We highly encourage you to submit your own comments and encourage others to do the same! 


How to submit a comment (must be received by April 5th!): 

As part of the NEPA process, an Environmental Assessment (EA) describes the proposed action and its environmental consequences. Detailed comments that talk about the EA’s analysis or results are more likely to be considered. 

  1. Send an email to .
  2. Send a letter to Central Federal Lands Highway Division, 12300 W. Dakota Ave. Suite 380, Lakewood, Colorado 80228.

 

We wholeheartedly support the improvements to drainage and closing of user-created parking but are concerned about accommodating parking elsewhere in the canyon because it isn’t sustainable. If our collective goal is to continue to have a car-based system in the canyon, then we should identify how many cars we want to accommodate rather than converting user-created sites into formalized spots, or enlarging other parking areas. We also believe that safety goals can be better achieved by reducing the number of personal cars in the canyon rather than investing in additional infrastructure for cars, when transit improvements are recommended by recent plans. 

In 2021, this project was awarded funding through the Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP), with $15 million in federal funds and $4 million in local contributions. Check out Salt Lake County’s project website here

The current proposal is to widen the road to three different widths: 

    • 24-feet from Winter Gate to Elbow Fork, including two 10-feet lanes and a 4-foot uphill bike lane (currently varies from 16-24 feet)
    • 20-feet from Elbow Fork to Upper Big Water (currently varies from 13-20 feet) 
    • 18-feet in certain areas with sensitive environment 

Millcreek Road Proposal

While a wider road would increase visibility for drivers, a lane width that is constantly changing may confuse drivers and cause difficulty when sharing the road with pedestrians and cyclists. Above Elbow Fork, there are certain sections for a narrower 18-foot road to reduce impacts on slopes and adjacent streams and wetlands. We suggest keeping the minimum width consistent in the upper canyon at 18 feet, which would also reduce the need for unnecessarily cutting into the hillsides. 

Over the span of this project, a majority of the community spoke in favor of a shuttle service, with a vision of more people arriving by shuttle, walking, hiking, or biking. Instead, the current project focuses on accommodating personal vehicles, introducing bigger parking lots and wider roads. This could make it more dangerous and difficult for pedestrians to safely and freely enjoy the upper canyon, altering people’s relationship with the canyon. Whether you like to hike, bike, ski, or picnic in Millcreek Canyon, your voice is important in shaping this project.

What’s next: 

The decision will be released in April 2024, and the final design will be released this summer. The upper canyon road will be closed during construction (spanning two construction seasons, likely summer and fall, in 2025 and 2026). More details on closure can be found on page 15 of the environmental assessment. 

After the upper canyon project is underway, project partners will prepare another FLAP application for road improvements to the lower canyon between the Toll Booth and Winter Gate. 

We want to thank you for your strong engagement and for taking the time to leave a comment! If you have questions or thoughts to share with Save Our Canyons, feel free to email us at

Previous Save Our Canyons comments: 

Resources: 

Last week, the 45-day 2023 legislative session wrapped up with a record-breaking number of bills. Your attention and action helped shape the Wasatch for the better by stopping bad water policy from weaving its way into our watersheds, halting a bill overriding ordinances to facilitate a gravel pit in Parley’s Canyon, and getting a $150M appropriation to improve bus service in both Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon, to name a few. However, poorly thought-out bills still slip through. 

Bill Updates 

TAKE ACTION: VETO HB469 Wildlife-Related Amendments 

In the final moments of the session, the legislature passed an appalling bill that says anyone with a hunting license can trap and shoot cougars (mountain lions) year-round, with no special permit needed. There would be no limit on how many cougars can be killed per year. We need you to contact Governor Cox at (801) 538-1000 and ask him to VETO HB469 Wildlife Related Amendments by March 23rd.

Utah consistently kills more of its cougars than almost every other state, even those with greater populations of cougars. HB469 faces widespread opposition from hunting groups like the Utah Houndsmen Association and conservation groups. Cougars play an important role in the healthy functioning of ecosystems in the Wasatch Mountains and promote biodiversity. This bill could unravel over a decade of conservation efforts to strengthen cougar populations across Utah.  

This open season of cougar hunting would abruptly replace the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources’ 2015-2025 Cougar Management Plan and permit system. Sen. Sandall did not seek any input from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources before adding these provisions when the bill had already reached the Senate Floor. This not only disregards the public process, sound science, and the careful collaboration and planning that goes into wildlife management, but it shows a lack of respect for the wildness of the Wasatch and its wildlife. Contact Gov. Cox at (801) 538-1000 today and ask him to veto HB469.

HB527 Mining Operations Amendments did not pass 

Over 900 emails were sent to elected officials advocating against HB527 Mining Operations Amendments – thank you for your advocacy! This bill was stopped in the House Rules Committee. Rep. Stratton’s proposed bill would have expanded mining operations statewide while dodging local regulations. It likely would have shifted the ongoing lawsuit between Tree Farm LLC and Salt Lake County in favor of Tree Farm and its proposed 634-acre gravel pit for Parley’s Canyon. 

HB276 Water Supply Amendments will be discussed in the interim

Rep. Lyman’s HB276 Water Supply Amendments will be worked on during the interim after being tabled in the House Natural Resources Committee. This bill would have required Salt Lake City to supply water outside of its service area to dry lots in the Wasatch Mountains.

Little Cottonwood Canyon Gondola Update 

$150 million in Transportation Funds for both Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon

The legislature appropriated $100 million dollars for the Utah Department of Transportation to enhance bus service, enact tolling, build a mobility hub, and add bus stops in the Cottonwood Canyons. This will be supplemented by $50 million from the Cottonwood Canyon Transportation Investment Fund, bringing the total amount to $150 million. We are on the lookout for further details on the type of mobility hub and its location. We support the legislature’s decision to fund common-sense solutions to help alleviate traffic in our canyons.

Wasatch Front Regional Council discussing final transportation plan 

Thank you for your comments on the Wasatch Front Regional Council’s (WFRC) draft Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The WFRC will likely discuss whether to include the proposed gondola in their final RTP at their May 25th meeting, although there is a possibility that they could discuss it at their March 23rd meeting. If the gondola is included in the final RTP, it could make it easier for UDOT to fund the gondola in the future. Submit a comment to Gov. Cox or order a no gondola yard sign here

HR3 House Resolution Concerning Ski Season Transportation did not pass

Rep. Eliason proposed the HR3 House Resolution Concerning Ski Season Transportation, which called on UTA to 1) address the current driver shortage, and 2) explore the option of allowing other entities to rent their buses for ski transportation before the next season. While this resolution did not pass out of the House Rules Committee, we were encouraged to see a conversation by the legislature about the issue of ski transportation and a call for immediate action. 

Global Climate Strike 

On March 3rd, Save Our Canyons joined the youth organization Fridays for Future Utah for the Global Climate Strike. It was powerful to see all the youth that called on legislators to invest in their future, not climate chaos. Katie Balakir, a policy associate with Save Our Canyons, spoke about the importance of developing real solutions to save the Great Salt Lake, including better public transportation that would help clean our air and lessen dependence on fossil fuels. Thanks to everyone who showed up – your tenacity and passion are so inspiring! 

Katie speaking at Global Climate Strike

Image by Grey Jensen

Pika Fact of the Week: Pikas can regulate their temperature by changing their body posture.  In winter, pikas are often seen with a spherical body shape that conserves more heat, whereas in summer, their bodies are more oblong. 

Utah is one of the fastest growing states in the country, and with that comes a great demand for aggregate materials used in housing and infrastructure (e.g. sand, gravel, and stone). The Wasatch Mountains are facing growing pressures from developers for mining operations, including the controversial open-pit mine proposed for Parleys Canyon. A new bill would make it far too easy for mining operations to expand, while allowing them to dodge local regulation.

Mines could easily expand.

The bill would make it easier for mine operators to establish a “vested mining right,” which is an unconditional right to use the land for mining purposes. This vested right could be transferred to land with any history of mining activity, as well as adjacent properties (even those yet to be mined) that are owned or acquired by mine operators. This deviates from the law’s original intent to protect existing mines, as opposed to promoting the creation of new mines without any regulation. 

Local governments would have no say in the matter. 

Mining operations would be exempt from local land use authority, regardless of the size of the mine.

The bill also imposes significant hurdles to challenging the validity of a vested mining use by imposing a time limit and redirecting where disputes are resolved. Any parties in opposition to a vested mining use would have one year to challenge it, after which it would be “conclusively established for all purposes.” Disputes would also be resolved by the Board of the Department of Oil, Gas and Mining (DOGM), instead of by district courts where property right disputes are routinely litigated. 

How much land could be impacted? 

This is a map of Utah’s active (green) and inactive (red) mines. These sites, including adjacent properties owned or acquired by mine operators, could be open to new mining. There are 35,000+ open mining claims throughout Utah, covering about 800,000 acres of land. This includes Tree Farm LLC’s proposed 634-acre gravel pit in Parleys Canyon. 

DNR Utah map of mining sites

Why we oppose HB527:

  • Local governments will not be able to restrict a mining operation, stripping them of their discretion to make decisions for the health and safety of their communities. 
  • Mining operations use a lot of water, namely for dust mitigation. There's no telling what the exact impact of the bill would be on our water supply, only that it would require immense amounts of a resource we simply don't have. This bill could unravel any efforts to conserve water and save the Great Salt Lake while also in the midst of a drought.
  • Air quality would be severely compromised by dust and emissions on top of Salt Lake Valley’s already poor air quality, especially during winter inversions. 
  • A growing number of private property owners will be severely impacted. Those in the vicinity of a mine would face a decline in property value, along with poor air quality, water contamination risks, large quantities of dust, and noise and light pollution. 

Where did this bill come from? 

This bill modifies provisions of law that are part of a pending lawsuit between Tree Farm LLC and Salt Lake County over a county ordinance protecting the Wasatch Mountains, our air and watersheds from mining uses. This bill was authored with help from Granite Construction, their lobbyists, and attorney. It includes a backstop by changing policy for mines to never have local ordinances apply to mining use in the state of Utah.

At 634 acres, Tree Farm's proposed gravel pit would be the largest mining operation in the Wasatch since the establishment of the Point of the Mountain quarry. HB527’s expansion of what constitutes a “vested use” would likely include Tree Farm’s project site and its adjacent properties, totaling over 1,000 acres in Parleys Canyon

While the amount of water needed for this project has yet to be disclosed, it is estimated that there will be 144 truck trips per day to transport between 600 million and 1 billion gallons of water per year. This would undermine efforts by entities like Salt Lake City, who are trying to find ways to dedicate billions of gallons of water to the Great Salt Lake to keep the ecosystem on life support. 

The process of choosing a location for a mineral production zone (mining operation) should warrant careful consideration of the impacts on affected communities, wildlife, and environment. It’s not as straightforward as starting a mining operation at a site simply because it’s been mined before, or is next to another mine. 

This is a complicated issue for the Wasatch Mountains and the entire state of Utah. Save Our Canyons opposes HB527 and continues to work with government officials and community members to gather information and answer important questions about this bill. 

Out of abundance of caution and perhaps our last opportunity for civic engagement on mines impacting our communities, we are urging you to contact Gov. Spencer Cox, President Stuart Adams, Speaker Brad Wilson and your senator and representative. It may behoove you to include your local elected officials – they must know that protection of the Wasatch from Gravel Pits to Gondolas, road widening projects to reduction of wilderness protections are presently threatening the Wasatch. Mere years after the inking of an Accord to stand against these threats. 

What can you do?

Week 3 is Water Week. Legislators discussed several big water bills that had us on the edge of our seats, ranging from a bill that would mandate Salt Lake City to route water to dry lots in the Wasatch Mountains (HB 276) to an attempt to set a target elevation for the Great Salt Lake (SCR 06). We also heard a strange proposal for thinning our forests as the most viable option for replenishing the Great Salt Lake. We’ll go over it all, but first, let’s take it back to the beginning of the legislative session. 

Saving the Great Salt Lake

On January 14th, crowds rallied for better policies to protect the drying Great Salt Lake. The rally was organized by the organization Save Our Great Salt Lake. Concerned citizens, ranging from poets and snowboarders to business owners and tribal leaders, voiced their concerns. 

Replenishing the Great Salt Lake to healthy levels is crucial for the Wasatch Mountains and all the life that depends on it. The Great Salt Lake shrinking means less snow because as storms pass over the Great Salt Lake, they absorb some of its moisture, which then turns into snow on the mountains - a shrinking lake jeopardizes that pattern.

Toxic dust storms that will arise from a drying lakebed will also create an undesirable feedback loop. As dust particles settle on snowpack, the darker snow will melt faster, which is a concern for our water supply. 

Rally Horizontal 1

We support solutions that will conserve and route more water to the Great Salt Lake while protecting our watershed. To our dismay, legislators failed to pass SCR 06, a resolution that would have set a minimum healthy target elevation of 4198 feet for Great Salt Lake. 

HB 276 Water Supply Amendments: Tabled

It’s not all just a drop in the bucket. On February 2nd, the House Natural Resources Committee tabled Rep. Lyman’s HB 276 Water Supply Amendments bill. A huge thanks to everyone who sent emails and showed up in person to testify against this bill. Your voice matters and we love hearing from you! 

This bill would have required Salt Lake City to supply water outside of its service area to dry lots in the Wasatch Mountains and canyons, either by routing water up the canyons or diverting it directly from streams. If the city refuses or is unable to route the “necessary” water, Salt Lake City would be required to purchase the lot from the owner. 

We opposed this bill for the following reasons: 

  • Less water will make it to the Great Salt Lake, as more diversions are created in the Wasatch Mountains. This undermines efforts to restore the lake to its healthy levels.
  • Salt Lake City water rate payers may face a less reliable water supply. Diversions change nutrient flow, water flow, and water chemistry while altering the riparian habitat of rivers and streams. 
  • Residents in SLC’s service area will face rising water prices, as the city seeks out new sources of water or attempts to offset the cost of purchasing lots and inevitable litigation.    

If you’d like to learn more about HB276, check out our action alert from earlier this week. You can sign up for our alerts here.

Trees aren’t the problem

On January 31st, the Salt Lake County Council heard a presentation from Councilwoman Dea Theodore representing District 6 on how thinning trees can single-handedly restore the Great Salt Lake. She also claimed that any urban or agricultural conservation efforts would have little to no impact. We wholeheartedly disagree.

Trees are essential in the Wasatch Mountains. Trees reduce ambient temperatures, purify our watershed, and provide a complex network in the soil that supports biodiversity of life and leads to water retention. In a recent study by USFS and USU, researchers found that in drier, more arid climates, forest thinning can actually reduce the amount of water that makes it downstream.

Our forests play a critical role in our watershed and we should strive for greater resilience, especially in the face of a changing climate and growing development pressures. Our forests and watershed need stewardship that restores forests to their natural and native conditions for the sake of maintaining a healthy watershed. 

On Tuesday February 7th, the Salt Lake County Council will host a 45-minute informal presentation on water conservation and forest management, as a follow-up to Councilwoman Theodore’s proposal.

Featured panelists are as follows: 

  • Laura Briefer (Director of Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities)
  • Ben Abbott (Professor of Environmental Science and Global Hydrology at Brigham Young University)
  • Rebecca Hotze (District Ranger for the Salt Lake Ranger District with the Forest Service)

Stay involved and use your voice!

Want to meet your legislators and engage with them on issues that you care about? Come join us next week at the Capitol! We’d love to connect with you and help connect you to your legislators. 

On Thursday February 9th, our staff will be at the Capitol for Nonprofit Day on the Hill. Come say hi - we’ll be tabling at the Capitol Rotunda from 11am to 2pm. We will also be at the Capitol on Friday February 10th for Outdoor Recreation Day. 

Our primary areas of focus are the gravel pit proposal in Parley’s Canyon, the gondola proposal up Little Cottonwood Canyon, and any water-related bills impacting the Wasatch Mountains. We’ll have talking points and handouts on these issues for your convenience!

Pika Fact of the Week: Pikas have tails that are entirely concealed under their dense fur.

Policy shapes many of the issues confronting the Wasatch. We've recently brought on two new Policy Associates who will help shed light on some of that policy. Save Our Canyons would like to welcome Crystal and Katie, the hosts of Policy and Pikas. 

Why pikas? Pikas are a critical part of ecosystems across the West, including here in Utah. They help scientists detect the ecological effects of climate change because of their extreme sensitivity to warming temperatures. We named our legislative updates after the pika as an ode to our furry conservationists.

Pika


Week one of the 2023 legislative session is officially over. The 45-day session will run from January 17 to March 3. So far some 350 bills have been proposed, and hundreds more are expected. 

This session, we’re primarily focusing on bills that support an equitable transportation system and protect the air, water, and forests of the Wasatch Mountains. 

Transportation:

We support a robust transportation system that can bring people from metropolitan areas to the canyons. In this same vein, we oppose the proposed gondola up Little Cottonwood Canyon, which is neither scalable nor equitable. We’ll be keeping an eye out for any bills that will appropriate funding for the gondola and hope to see funding for a better bus system to the canyons and for mobility hubs.

Air and water:

We’re keeping an eye on proposed bills involving sand and gravel pit operations, specifically the proposed 634-acre gravel mine in Parley’s Canyon. We noted this recent op-ed from Rep. Christofferson, where he expresses that our residents need more gravel pits close to home. Dust, air quality, and decreased property values are some of the downfalls of living near a gravel pit. 

In order to mitigate the dust from the proposed gravel pit in Parley’s Canyon, we’re looking at a tremendous use of water, estimated at 144 truck trips per day to transport between 600 million and 1 billion gallons of water. Given the pressures that the Wasatch is facing, and the dire need to route and keep more water in the Great Salt Lake, this is an imprudent use of our precious water resources. 

We’re also on the watch for a major forest logging proposal, in response to the ridiculous and unfounded claims that “overgrown” forests are guzzling too much water from the Great Salt Lake.

Land management:

We’re on the lookout for bills that support land management projects through sound policy and adequate funding. These projects could include wildfire prevention, watershed protection, climate adaptation, and improvements of forest health and wildlife habitat. In Senate Bill 5, we’d like to see an increase in funds for the shared stewardship of public lands, from $1.7 million to $5 million, given all of the work that needs to be done in the Wasatch. 

Government transparency:

As we closely follow environmental policy proposed by our local officials, we are all for government transparency! We support House Bill 97, which modifies the Government Records Access and Management Act to include records on a personal electronic device for officers and government employees.

Ways to get involved: 

  • Subscribe to our mailing list to stay up-to-date during the session. 
  • Find your legislator and write a letter, reach out through social media, or speak with  them face-to-face! Even if you don’t have a specific ask, it’s always helpful to let them know your general concerns this legislative session.
  • Attend a committee meeting (like the Natural Resources Committee) and share your personal stories with a public comment (in-person or via Zoom). Find the schedule and agenda here.  
  • Follow along with proposed 2023 environmental legislation with this bill tracker from Sierra Club Utah! 
  • Join us on February 1 from 6 to 8 pm for our Writing for the Wasatch Workshop at the Patagonia Outlet (2292 Highland Dr., Salt Lake City, UT 84106). You’ll have an opportunity to contact Governor Cox about protecting the Wasatch Mountains, through both written comments and art.

Pika Fact of the Week: Pikas don’t hibernate. They live under the snow, which helps them stay warm throughout the winter.