Comments about ‘Letter: Strong air quality regulations needed’

When politicians in Utah stop seeing lock-step ultra-partisan voting habits, maybe we can have some legitimate leadership instead of cronyism, nepotism and outright discrimination in Utah politics...in my opinion.

Oh, Ms. Hansen, haven't you learned yet that you just have to TRUST all those job-creating, generous campaign contributors whose loyal support of the GOP, ALEC and other God-fearing, patriotic organizations keep our government (and governor) under control?

I hope you will seriously consider a vote for Peter Cooke in November.

Re: "Protecting our health requires leadership . . . ."

Utahns couldn't agree more.

Strong leadership IS required to protect our environment, while avoiding giving away the store to persistent, but uncurious and uninformed, true-believing liberal radicals. People that would happily shut down the industries that produce the jobs necessary to permit us to raise our children in a happy, healthy environment, close to family and other important people and things.

Thanks, Gov.Herbert!

A Utah native should recognize that on average days, Utah's air is cleaner now than in the 1970's even though the population is much greater. That is generally true around the country.

That being said, the basin-and-range geography of western Utah is the biggest culprit behind smoggy days. Stagnant basin air is unavoidable, and microregulations to the nth degree won't change it. That doesn't mean we don't try, it only means we have realistic expectations. During inversions, Wasatch Front air quality cannot get much better than it is today.

There is solid reason to be wary of increased Federal regulations. Once in the hands of unelected bureaucrats, they are routinely misused to the detriment of individuals, communities, and businesses. Approach with caution.

There you go again, Procurawhichever. We "liberals" are not in any way trying to shut down any of those industries.

We just want them to be RESPONSIBLE. (Remember that word? It's one you've used frequently as you tell people how they should act.) We just want the industries to be responsible and do their business in a clean and sensible way.

What's wrong with that?

RE: "This is an irresponsible and careless position to take." True. But Gary Herbert is an irresponsible and careless governor, so what more can you expect?

Governor Herbert is doing a fine job, and these attacks on him are baseless.

The environmental movement has some valid achievements. But this movement also can be (and has been) used as a banner to erode freedom and stifle economic growth. Sometime innocently, sometimes deliberately. Clean air is an important objective. But in the valley we have geographic conditions that somewhat limit our air quality. We can't change that fact.

We could pass more and more restrictions and spend huge additional amounts of money for very little improvement to air quality. This will leave us with less freedom and less money. I'd rather keep our freedom and use our finite funds in areas with SIGNIFICANT PROVEN health benefits.

On this tread, "This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in." -- Theodore Roosevelt,

I lived here in the 70's - the air is NOT cleaner. As to the comments about "shutting down" industries - NOT TRUE. There are advances that need to be used by industry to reduce the pollution. Why are they open burning hazardous waste? Why are they not using contained burning with air scrubbing systems so that pollutants are not released in to the air? These companies can afford it but will not put out the cash necessary to convert to cleaner systems until they are made to - it is as simple as that. GREED wins over morals.