The 36-page bill, SB 172, was sponsored by Republican Sen. David Hinkins. The bill would have limited the ability of local governments to regulate mining expansion. It would also make it difficult for local governments to determine where new mines and gravel pits should be located.
Sam Dunham is from an informal grassroots group called “Save Parleys” which aims to preserve Parleys Canyon. He said this was just the latest effort to expand mining.
“It's gotten to the stage where the gravel developers have a weak hand and haven't been able to get anything through the county because of the overwhelming opposition to it from local governments," Dunham said. "What they're trying to do through the legislative action is bypass local control.”
Save Parleys has been involved in the battle to prevent mine and gravel pits for two years. The group opposed this bill because members say it would’ve prioritized giving property rights to organizations with mining interests rather than local residents and businesses.
Dunham said the bill would have allowed a gravel pit in Parleys Canyon, negatively affecting Summit County and the Wasatch Front.
“As storms blow in, it blows dust up onto the snowpack, which means the snowpack melts earlier, which affects Salt Lake and Summit County’s water supply," he said. "But more often than that, the wind blows down the canyon, which covers the entire Salt Lake Valley with fugitive dust.”
Sen. Hinkins, who originally backed the bill, said it would have scaled back local government authority somewhat. He said it did this to make it easier for mining companies to get permits to extract minerals.
“We have like probably 25 of the 38 critical minerals here in Utah, that we have been trying to get companies to come in, extract them and help rural Utah as well as to be able to utilize the minerals instead of importing them.”
However, due to opposition from the League of Cities and others, Hinkins said he sent the bill back to the rules committee and is no longer backing it.
Another legislator could pick the bill up and rework it in the future.