Dear Commissioners,

We, residents of Weber county, have many concerns about the two proposed Inland Port Project Areas in Weber County between the Harold S. Crane Waterfowl Management Area and the Ogden Bay Waterfowl Management Area, and on the Weber River. We would like to meet with you and your staff to discuss our concerns

Great Salt Lake is in dire straits, thus the west Weber County area requires a new approach to conservation and development. 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. 

We realize you have a difficult job and we ask that you take time to reconsider this proposal and evaluate it thoroughly.  The perceived economic benefit pales in comparison to the public harm that will be caused from:

Increased air pollution
The pollution from industrial buildings, roads, rail and vehicular traffic has been well documented.  Industrial development and inland ports create significant amounts of truck and rail traffic, increasing emissions. In some areas of the country, they are called “diesel death zones.” Northern Utah is not in attainment of federal air quality standards and this proposed industrial development will make that worse. For comparison, developers of a 1,300 acre project area in Tooele County estimate over 50,000 additional vehicle trips per day (even with a “rail” component), the proposed Weber County project areas are 8,993 acres, or almost 7 times bigger.  Rail also contributes to air pollution, with switcher engines being a significant factor. Enabling development of an inland port that will increase air pollution is not in the public’s interest.  Based on a study by BYU, the total annual health costs from air pollution in Utah have been estimated from $1.8 billion to $820 billion.

Before this proposal moves forward and public resources are given to it, a traffic study must be completed. Northern Utahns need to know how many trips will be generated by the Weber County location and what the consequences of that traffic will be.

Destruction of Wetlands and harm to the Great Salt Lake ecosystem: 

Wetlands help reduce water and air pollution and are vital to a healthy ecosystem. Great Salt wetlands support millions of migratory birds, from hundreds of species. Industrial development destroys wetlands and the surrounding environment, creating a cascading series of environmental harm, such as water pollution, water depletion and habitat loss.  The Great Salt Lake ecosystem, including the areas slated for development in Weber County, provide important habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.  Numerous species of birds are facing threats which could warrant Endangered Species Act listings, and if the proposed Weber County inland port locations are developed, the threats these birds face will increase.

Before any public resources are expended on this proposed development a comprehensive independent wetland study needs to be conducted to fully assess the impact to the ecosystem.

Utah Inland Port Authority’s record of failure

The Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) provides public subsidies to enable industrial development.  UIPA has a 6-year history of mismanagement of public money.  For example, without an adequate business plan, UIPA rushed into selling $150 million in publicly backed bonds for a failed project. As a result, they're now paying over $120,000 a month (for the next 30 years) in public money for leases they can’t get out of, serving no public purpose.  UIPA does a cursory analysis of the business case for inland port subsidies as demonstrated by the cookie cutter plans being developed. 

In Salt Lake City promises were made about “sustainable development” but instead  giant pollution-inducing warehouses are being built and wetlands are paved over. They are six years into this project, and although a Traffic Study, Human Health Risk Assessment and Community Impact Study were agreed to, none of these studies have been completed.

In order to prevent these mistakes from being inflicted on our community we are asking that these studies be completed first, before the project is approved.  The decisions being made now about the future of west Weber County will have a significant impact on the health of our community.

We would greatly appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss these concerns, and ask that you pause your effort with UIPA to approve the proposed Weber County project areas until these important questions can be answered.

Thank you for your time, concern and efforts to secure the prosperity of Weber County.  

Respectfully,