H.B. 355 Mining and Critical Infrastructure Materials Amendments

Our message on the original bill before substitution

The Wasatch Mountains desperately need your help this Legislative Session. H.B. 355 Critical Infrastructure Materials Amendments would impact Salt Lake County’s ability to enforce their ban on new mines in the Wasatch Mountains, effectively green lighting the proposed mine in Parley’s Canyon. Thanks to your advocacy during the last two legislative sessions, bad mining bills like this one were staved off, and only with your help can that happen again.

Send a message to oppose H.B. 355Critical Infrastructure Materials (CIM) is a fancy term for sand, gravel, and rock aggregate; a slew of bills the last few years have sought to streamline CIM operations despite immense local opposition. CIM operations in places like Parley’s Canyon, which is subject to intense downslope wind events, can have drastic impacts on air quality, water resources, property values, and the viewshed.

The good news? Thanks to your support last year, a bill that intended to bypass local authority and permit more CIM mining without public input was downgraded to a CIM study. That study returned some powerful findings, including the recommendation that “land-use designations, rezoning, and permit decisions should remain with local officials where the benefits and impacts of quarries are most realized.”

We encourage our elected leaders to act on the recommendations provided by the report, and are asking for your help to prevent H.B. 355 from advancing through the legislative process.

Our message template is a helpful starting point, but we encourage you to add thoughtful insight on how this bill would impact you directly. Remember to keep comments actionable and solution-oriented, avoiding harsh or insulting language.

What H.B. 355 would do:

Undermines Local Decision-Making - A recently completed study of gravel supply and demand in Utah recommended that “land-use designations, rezoning, and permit decisions should remain with local officials where the benefits and impacts of quarries are most realized.” H.B. 355 would directly ignore this recommendation by allowing CIM operations to expand without input from local land-use authorities or impacted communities.

Shifts Burden of Proof to the Public - To prevent CIM operations from expanding in your community, you would need to provide “clear and convincing evidence” that the expansion is either not “vested” or would “imminently endanger public health, safety, and welfare.” This creates an insurmountable burden of proof for local communities who seek to challenge these projects, especially for those concerned about impacts of gravel mines on their health and property values.

Override Salt Lake County’s Authority - H.B. 355 would pave the way for gravel mine expansion despite local bans on new mining, such as Salt Lake County's 2022 zoning ordinance that prohibits new mines in the Wasatch Foothills to protect air quality, water quality, and property values. This would likely open up loopholes that could pave the way for the proposed mine in Parley’s Canyon.

Jeopardize Salt Lake County’s Air Quality - According to the EPA, Salt Lake County is already a “nonattainment area” for PM 2.5 Dust. With the increasing frequency of downslope wind events, which funnel wind through Parley’s Canyon at over 60mph, the proposed mine would become another significant pollution source in an area that already struggles with poor air quality.

Sets a Dangerous Precedent for the Entire State - This bill doesn’t only affect Parley’s Canyon, but would limit local communities across Utah from preventing gravel mine expansion in their respective areas.