Sierra Club to give award to Rocky

The Sierra Club will recognize Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson with the "Distinguished Service Award" in a ceremony Thursday in San Francisco.

"Mayor Anderson has been and continues to be one of the few Utah politicians who has shown unwavering support for a healthy environment and a good quality of life," Sierra Club President Larry Fahn said in a press release. "His opposition to the Legacy Highway and leadership in the development of Salt Lake's highly successful TRAX light-rail system show a type of vision we don't see from Gov. (Mike) Leavitt and the Bush administration."

Anderson gained the award for his efforts to promote wind power, expand mass transit and water conservation, opposition to the Legacy Highway and committing Salt Lake City to abide by the Kyoto Protocol, reducing harmful air pollution and greenhouse gasses, according to the release.

"I'm thrilled about this," Anderson said Tuesday.