Connect with us

Utah

Utah Inland Port Authority approves controversial project on sensitive wetlands on the Great Salt Lake

Published

on

Utah Inland Port Authority approves controversial project on sensitive wetlands on the Great Salt Lake


West Weber County is the only place Brent Davis, 74, has ever called home. Davis and his brothers are the fourth generation to farm and raise cattle on 60 acres of land in this largely rural corner of northern Utah.

Like so many communities in Utah, the area has seen new homes and development bring more traffic, and change. That change is now set to accelerate — with the Utah Inland Port Authority’s decision on Monday afternoon to approve a new project area on 9,000 acres of mainly agricultural land just down the road from Davis.

Weber County’s hope is that the site will become an “industrial development, advanced manufacturing and renewable energy hub,” Stephanie Russell, economic development director in Weber County, told the UIPA board on Monday.

The project area encompasses farmland and wetlands, and sits between the Harold S. Crane and Ogden Bay Waterfowl Management Areas near the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake.

Advertisement

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brent Davis on Weber County property slated for an inland port on Friday, April 5, 2024.

Earlier in the day, herons, American avocets, California gulls and ibis flew over and floated in ephemeral pools of water inside the project’s boundaries, as Ben Hart, executive director of the Utah Inland Port Authority, led reporters on a tour. “We’re going to take unprecedented measures to try and protect the wetlands up here,” Hart said.

Opponents say the new project will accelerate industrialization and the loss of agricultural lands, imperil wetlands and impact bird populations.

But port supporters argue it will bring needed jobs in a county where many have to commute to Salt Lake City for work. UIPA board members also say that their involvement in the project will guarantee more protections for wetlands than if landowners developed the site without their incentives. Turning West Weber into a port project will also unlock loans or tax dollars for the costs of new infrastructure, such as a sewer transmission system and wastewater treatment facilities.

To Davis, the port authority’s involvement made one thing clear. “It won’t be country anymore,” he said as he took a break from planting watermelons. “It will be citified.”

Advertisement

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Weber County Inland Port site in Weber County, Monday, May 20, 2024.

Environmental groups started raising alarms about a new port project last August when the proposed site was 903 acres. A few months later, days before the New Year holiday weekend, the port authority and Weber County posted a notice that said they planned to expand the port project to almost 9,000 acres.

During the Monday afternoon meeting, UIPA staffers outlined their plan to mitigate the potential harms to wetlands.

“The inland port recognizes the extent of ecological sensitivity throughout this project area, considering its proximity to the Great Salt Lake, as well as to the Harold Crane and Ogden Bay waterfowl management areas,” Mona Smith, UIPA’s environmental engineer, told the board.

In order for developers to unlock incentives, UIPA said, it will require them to develop an inventory of wetlands and require a 600-foot buffer between waterfowl management areas and construction. It also recommended that 3% of the tax revenue collected from development in the project area go towards wetland mitigation.

Advertisement

Over 25 years, UIPA expects the increased taxes will add up to $343 million, meaning roughly $10.3 million would go towards wetlands protection over that period of time.

“Having these types of arrangements, having a wetlands strategy that is more stringent than what the Army Corp of Engineers will put in place is a benefit, is long term more beneficial to that ecosystem than if we were just to walk away and do nothing,” said Joel Ferry, executive director for the Utah Department of Natural Resources and nonvoting UIPA board member.

Environmental groups remain skeptical.

(Utah Inland Port Authority) The wetlands identified in one of the project areas UIPA approved in West Weber County on May 20, 2024.

“Currently the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) is the single biggest driver of wetland destruction and impairment in the Great Salt Lake Basin,” port critics, including Great Salt Lake Audubon and Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, wrote in a 2023 report.

Advertisement

“There wouldn’t be wetlands destruction without the inland port authority,” Deeda Seed, a staffer with the Center for Biological Diversity, wrote in a text to The Salt Lake Tribune. The project’s wetlands policy is an ineffective gesture to address “legitimate concerns about the harm to 28,000 acres of biological wetlands,” she wrote. The funds set aside for wetlands also are “insufficient and it’s unclear how they will implement it,” Seed wrote.

Without UIPA incentives for infrastructure, Seed and others argue, there wouldn’t be an economic incentive to develop the open lands.

But, responds UIPA director Hart, “there were already viable development plans up here in the area.”

Most of the designated West Weber Inland Port Project will be on land owned by the Marriott family. Another 300 or so acres in the project are owned by “PCC LAND LLC,” which shares the same address as real estate developer the Gardner Group, who purchased the property in 2023.

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Ben Hart, executive director of the Utah Inland Port Authority answers questions during a media tour of Weber County Inland Port site in Weber County, Monday, May 20, 2024.

Advertisement

Although much of the new port project land is currently agricultural open space, it was zoned for industrial use in the 1960s, according to Hart, and Compass Minerals and Western Zirconium have long operated nearby.

“It’s no big surprise to me,” Davis said of the inland port project proposal, “but still, I hate to see it.”

Others felt caught off guard when they learned that the land could become the latest “inland port.”

Residents of Weber County sent county commissioners a letter on April 16 asking them to reevaluate the proposal and pause their plans. “We should not incentivize massive industrial development on the shores of Great Salt Lake, in an area containing some of the last remaining wetlands in northern Utah,” the residents wrote.

UIPA had not reached out to neighbors of the project, Hart told reporters, because the port’s involvement wouldn’t require a zoning change.

Advertisement

“Well,” Davis said after The Tribune informed him that UIPA voted to adopt the inland port. “I figured it would be that way.”



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Utah

What to expect for the Nov. 5 general election in Utah

Published

on

What to expect for the Nov. 5 general election in Utah


SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Polls closed for Utah’s primary elections on June 25 and preliminary results began coming in, setting the stage for the upcoming general election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

While official voter canvassing results were not scheduled to be available until July 22, the Associated Press projected winners for several races by June 25.

Here’s what to expect for the voting process for the general election in November.

Who is running in Utah?

The June 25 primaries narrowed down the list of candidates running for office in Utah.

Advertisement

Gov. Spencer Cox was the projected winner for the gubernatorial race, according to the AP.

Rep. John Curtis was expected to clinch the Republican nomination to replace Sen. Mitt Romney, and would face off against Democratic challenger Caroline Gleich and Independent challengers Carlton E. Bown and Robert Newcomb in the 2024 General Election in November.

For a full list of Utah’s candidates, click here.

When are the registration and voting deadlines?

Depending on how Utahns register to vote, the deadlines for registration may vary.

Deadlines for registration (and how to register)

Voters in Utah can register online, in person, or by mail.

Advertisement

Online voter registration is available at vote.utah.gov, and it must be completed by Oct. 25, 2024. The deadline for registering by mail is also Oct. 25.

If registering to vote in person, the deadline is Nov. 5, 2024 (meaning you can register on Election Day if you have the proper forms of identification).

Deadlines for voting

Early in-person voting at the Government Center begins Oct. 22, 2024, and ends Nov. 1, 2024. Early in-person voting at satellite locations begins Oct. 29, 2024, and ends Nov. 1, 2024.

If returning a ballot by mail, the ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 4, 2024. Ballots should be sent to voters by Oct. 15, and the last day to request a mail ballot is Oct. 29.

On Election Day — Tuesday, Nov. 5 — Utahns can vote at polling locations from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Advertisement

To find the closest polling location to you, visit votesearch.utah.gov and enter your address.

How do you check registration status in Utah?

If you want to vote but are unsure if you have already registered, you can check your status online at votesearch.utah.gov. To check your registration status, you need to provide your name, date of birth, and address.

That website can also display tracking information for mail ballots or provisional ballots, but not if you voted at a voting machine or in person.

Once you register to vote in Utah, you don’t need to re-register unless your registration status changes.

“If you have moved outside of the state and returned, or your name has changed, or your registration has lapsed by not voting in the last two presidential elections you will need to re-register,” according to the Salt Lake County Clerk’s Office.

Advertisement

Registering on Election Day

Did you know that if you are not yet registered to vote you can do so on Election Day?

“A poll worker will assist you in registering to vote and casting a provisional ballot on an electronic voting machine,” the Salt Lake County Clerk’s Office said.

To register on Election Day, you must bring a valid photo ID and proof of Utah residency to an Election Day vote center during polling hours. To see the full list of approved forms of identification, click here.

Who can vote in Utah?

There are three criteria for voters in the Beehive State.

First, you must be a resident of the United States in order to be eligible to vote in Utah. Second, you must reside in Utah for at least 30 days prior to the next election.

Advertisement

Third, you must be at least 18 years old on or before the general election. If you are 17 years old at the time of the primary election, you may still vote if you are 18 years old on or before the date of the general election.



Source link

Continue Reading

Utah

Utah Jazz NBA Draft Preview: 2024

Published

on

Utah Jazz NBA Draft Preview: 2024


The Utah Jazz have an exciting night tomorrow because they have the 10th, 29th, and 32nd pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. the Jazz have been in several rumors regarding the draft. Some rumors suggest the Jazz will trade up for higher than pick number 10. Some rumors suggest the Jazz will package picks 29 and 32 for a higher second pick in the first round. The honest observation at this point is that the Jazz might do just about anything for the draft. Tune in tomorrow night from home or from the Delta Center to find out what the Jazz do in round one! To watch the draft, tune in to ABC or ESPN.

Round One Draft: 6 PM MST, June 26th

Round Two Draft: 2 PM MST, June 27th

Below are projections on who the Jazz could select with their 3 picks. The projections are based on the Jazz’s rumored interest and generally where players are projected to be picked.

10th Pick Projections:

Advertisement

Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images

Advertisement

Ron Holland

Nikola Topic

Rob Dillingham

Cody Williams

Zach Edey

Advertisement

Dalton Knecht

2024 NBA Combine

Advertisement

Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/NBAE via Getty Images

29th Pick Projections:

Advertisement
2024 NBA Combine

Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images

Advertisement

Kyshawn George

Ryan Dunn

Baylor Scheierman

AJ Johnson

Justin Edwards

Advertisement

Cam Christie

Tyler smith

Johnny Furphy

Advertisement
Notre Dame v Virginia

Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images

Advertisement

Pick 32 Projections:

2024 NBA Combine

Advertisement

Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images

Picks 29 and 32 are close so these projections mainly overlap.

Harrison Ingram

Kyle Flipowski

Advertisement

Trentyn Flowers

Jonathan Mogbo

Jaylon Tyson

Tyler Kolek

Bronny James

Advertisement

Bobi Klintman

2024 NBA Combine

Advertisement

Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/NBAE via Getty Images

Final Prediction

This projection could be way off because this draft has a lot of parity and the Jazz could very well trade some of their picks. With that said, I predict that the Jazz select Nikola Topic with the 10th pick. For the 29th pick, The Jazz go for Ryan Dunn. For the 32nd pick, I predict that the Jazz select Jaylon Tyson. I think the Jazz will almost make a trade or two tomorrow but don’t quite pull the trigger.

Advertisement

Houston Rockets v Utah Jazz

What do you think the Jazz will do tomorrow night? Comment below!



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Utah

4 Utah Jazz rumors to watch before the NBA Draft

Published

on

4 Utah Jazz rumors to watch before the NBA Draft


The Tribune’s Andy Larsen breaks down the latest reports.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges (1) tries to evade the block attempt by Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) during NBA basketball in Salt Lake City Monday, Dec. 18, 2023.

The NBA Draft starts Wednesday, and the rumor mill is heating up around the Utah Jazz. Here’s the latest news, along with my reaction to the possibilities.

Trading for Mikal Bridges?

Rumor: Yahoo’s Jake Fischer reported that the Jazz are one of the teams interested in trading for Brooklyn wing Mikal Bridges, along with Houston and New York. Bridges is one of “Utah’s most aggressive aspirations,” Fischer wrote.

Advertisement

Reaction: The Nets have repeatedly declined to trade Bridges despite it probably making sense for the franchise to do so. Instead, they’ve been asking for more than three first-round picks in return for the 27-year-old.

Bridges would make the Jazz significantly better; he’s developed himself into a 20-point-per-game scorer while also being a solid defender. He’s the two-way player with size that these most recent playoffs have shown are extremely valuable. (Though we should note here that he was a far better player before the All-Star break than after it last year.)

The problem is that it’s not immediately clear that the Jazz would be a playoff team even with Bridges — he was an eight-win player last season, and the Jazz finished 15 wins short of the No. 10 seed. For an acquisition of Bridges to make sense, Utah would probably need to acquire other good players around him and Lauri Markkanen to get up in that 45-win range required to make the playoffs in the West. Still, it could be an exciting first step.

Trading for Zach LaVine?

Rumor: The Bulls “remain active” on trade negotiations sending out Zach LaVine involving the Jazz and the Philadelphia 76ers, according to NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson. However, reporter Marc Stein disagreed with the report, saying he had been “advised to dismiss Utah’s interest.”

Reaction: Johnson’s a quality veteran reporter, but I agree with Stein. While I haven’t heard recent updates, Jazz personnel earlier this year indicated that LaVine wasn’t a logical option in the pre-trade deadline market given the Jazz’s place in the standings, LaVine’s poor record of availability, and especially his high contract that pays him a combined $138 million over the next three years.

Advertisement

Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine (8) scores past Toronto Raptors’ Gary Trent Jr. (33) during the first half of an NBA basketball In-Season Tournament game Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

I don’t suspect circumstances have changed enough since to make a LaVine trade make sense now, at least not a trade in which the Jazz are giving up assets. If anything, it might require Chicago to send out assets to push the Jazz to take on LaVine’s deal.

Signing Tobias Harris?

Rumor: The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the Jazz and the Detroit Pistons “are expected to be the strongest suitors for Tobias Harris,” who is a free agent this summer after his 5-year, $180 million albatross of a deal ended with the 76ers.

Reaction: The Jazz will likely have about $40 million in cap space this summer. Some of that room the franchise anticipates using on Markkanen’s renegotiation and extension as the Finnish star enters the final year of his current contract.

Boston Celtics’ Al Horford (42) defends against Philadelphia 76ers’ Tobias Harris (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Advertisement

Harris is theoretically someone who could help the Jazz. At this point in his career, he’s statistically pretty average across the board — his shooting, rebounding, passing, steals, and block rates are just around the 50th percentile, maybe a bit higher. Even average, though, would make Harris the Jazz’s best wing by a lot.

He turns 32 this summer, so Harris doesn’t make sense for the Jazz’s long-term future, and signing him would also mean fewer minutes for last year’s No. 9 pick, Taylor Hendricks. But if they could get him on a short-term deal for a discount, he could also be a tradable piece in a move later while helping the Jazz improve now.

Looking to move up?

Rumor: Multiple reporters indicated that the Jazz are looking to move up in the draft using the No. 29 pick and the No. 32 pick. First, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported Monday morning that the Jazz are looking to trade the two picks for a “pick in the late teens.” Arizona sports radio host John Gambadoro reported that he believed that the Suns had had discussions with the Jazz, sending the No. 22 pick to Utah for No. 29 and No. 32. Fischer, meanwhile, floated the idea of the Jazz acquiring No. 17 from the Lakers in exchange for the two picks.

Reaction: Jazz general manager Justin Zanik acknowledged that the club has reservations about having six first- or second-year players on the roster next season, the logical outcome if the team makes all three selections on Wednesday. So the Jazz consolidating these picks in this fashion follows that line of thinking, especially if they are targeting a player they believe is significantly better than what’s available around the turn of the draft.

My only concern is that, in general, teams trading up in drafts get a little less value than those trading down when you study the issue analytically. The NBA Draft Pick Trade Simulator at nbasense.com is a good tool for looking at this — trading No. 29 and No. 32 for No. 17 is a pretty fair deal, but trading those picks for No. 22 would be analytically a bad idea. That’s especially true in a “flat” draft, where players’ values are considered pretty close throughout the first round.

Advertisement

If the Jazz are going to defy the analytics, they should be really sure that the player they’re acquiring with the higher pick is worth giving up two chances to place bets further down in the draft.

Editor’s note • This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending