Reader comments
Activists want more emphasis on public health
5 comments | Read story
The Sierra Club, UPHE, and HEAL all use a politically biased approach to understanding pollution and health issues that is reactionary, inflammatory, and leftist while often being deficient in good science, statistics, or thoroughness.
The HEAL troops told us we would all be killed in our sleep by the Army's chemical weapons incinerator facility in Rush Valley. Instead, it has safely processed almost all the munitions out there.
The Sierra Club and UPHE have carefully ignored the high NOx pollution dumped into our air by UTA's fleet of diesel swilling buses and (3,600-horsepower) commuter-rail locomotives. In fact, UTA now emits over 450 tons more NOx a year than it prevents. But, with the opening of South Commuter-rail, that will jump to nearly 700 tons extra NOx annually. (Refer to the bus-versus-TRAX NOx analysis in the January 2008 Legislative Audit. Also, refer to my submission to the FRontrunner FESR).
NOx and other diesel-pollutants are the main culprits in lung-damaging diseases.
These groups have pushed the spending of $20 billion for transit even though UTA cynically and intentionally worsens the worst pollution!
With a degree in Environmental Health, I took numerous public health classes to fulfill the requirement of my degree. Past employment, I�ve worked in a public health lab with nurses and physician assistants; was the environmental program contact for the epidemiological team, and would accompany a nurse to investigate various water and food borne illness complaints. In all the environmental programs that I've work in, the main theme has been having environmental regulations, rules, polices all with the thought of protecting the public from deleterious health effects. I am currently in the process of presenting to fellow health professionals, a revision to underground wastewater disposal systems. Foremost and behind these changes is this theme of public health protection by having sound environmental controls and rules to accomplish this.
We have many individuals on board here at DEQ, besides myself, that have protection of public health as the foremost interest in their duties of their jobs.
Stakeholder processes use the expertise of diverse viewpoints to arrive at good durable decisions. I hope any candidate the Governor chooses to replace Mr Sprott will have wide experience and commitment to the stakeholder process for developing policy, rules and innovative solutions to our problems.
Citizens are increasingly aware of the human health impacts of our environment, and sometimes feel skeptical of regulatory efforts to protect our families. The best candidate to replace Rick Sprott would be someone with health credentials along with the technical and administrative skills needed to manage the large Department of Environmental Quality and be the Governors main environmental advisor as well as Cabinet member.
Appropriate public purposes may well be served by having some representation by environmental advocates in whatever search process the Governor undertakes in finding the best possible replacement for Mr Sprott. This is an important decision and the public is wise to pay attention.
Add your comment
Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.
E-mail address: For internal use only. We may want to contact you to publish your comment (not your e-mail address) in the newspaper or for a separate story idea.
- Top cartel kingpin killed in shootout 1:24 a.m.
- Utah Grizzlies fall to Steelheads 1:19 a.m.
- Watching over the Sacred Grove 1:16 a.m.
- The sites and lights of Christmas 1:15 a.m.
- China detains U.S. engineer 1:14 a.m.
- Church: You know what's on menu 1:14 a.m.
- Temple, family trees at heart of site 1:14 a.m.
- Written history of nursery 1:14 a.m.
- The gospel in words: 'Lowly' 1:14 a.m.
- What's new: 'Treasure in Heaven' 1:13 a.m.
- Josh Powell gives DNA
- Will Chambers keep his promise?
- Josh Powell meets with WVC police
- Conan mocks Orrin Hatch, Mormons
- Star on field, in community
- BYU singers compete in 'Sing Off'
- Boozer plays at an All-Star level
- David Archuleta's different mission
- Jazz miss Harpring's toughness
- Frances Monson recovering well
- Jazz stunned by Timberwolves
114 - Stay the course with our president
112 - Letters: 'Liberal conceit'
111 - Josh Powell meets with WVC police
109 - TV mom gives birth to 19th child
106 - Sources: Josh Powell hires attorney
100 - Letters: Explaining Palin
100 - Tethering of pets could spur charges
94 - Conan mocks Orrin Hatch, Mormons
87 - Cougar seniors see a new Bronco
84
These days, more than half of adults actually want gift cards, those...
Some forms of beauty are fleeting, fragile as life itself, gone in a...
David Rankin, one of Utah's youngest and ablest astrophotographers has...
That would be five. Wyoming, AF, UofU, BYU, TCU.
The way I understand it, the Braithwaite name and gallery will transfer to...
USE COMMON SENSE Your Dog doesnt need to be out on a chain. Ask a Vet why...
WOW........
Defeat it, Mr Bennett! And then, go write a song like Mr. Hatch. Stay tall.
Who cares since few think healthcare is a right anyway in this State of Utah
Why must there always be someone else to blame for our problems? "If the...
Max lost to Utah once. Beat them twice. Your clever "joke" only worked last...
There is not near the competitions is wrestling for everyone that whats to...
20+ years in insurance finance and I can guarantee the "market" won't solve...



