AIR QUALITY

While Utah’s mountains are a beautiful backdrop along the Wasatch Front, they also create a natural barrier that can adversely affect air quality, especially during the winter months. Improving air quality and the environment in general must be a community effort involving everyone — business, government, communities, and individuals. The Salt Lake Chamber is proud to partner with these groups to implement policies to clean our air, protect our health and make sure we can see the mountains that contribute to the majesty of our state. Smart planning and coordination can address the air quality concerns that accompany population growth.

EMISSIONS BY SOURCE

CLEAR THE AIR CHALLENGE

The Clear the Air Challenge is a month-long competition that gives Utahns the chance to reduce their vehicle emissions by choosing alternative methods of transportation using TravelWise strategies. To participate, please visit cleartheairchallenge.org.

Over the past decade, Utah has significantly reduced emissions and improved our air quality. Despite a steady increase in population, state-wide emissions have decreased — thanks to an effort to reduce the number of cars on the roads, improve refinery standards, lessen reliance on wood burning, and implement red air day initiatives.

MEMBER SURVEY RESULTS ON EFFORTS TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY

WATER

Utah is the second driest state in the nation with a climate that requires careful planning and coordination between industry, government, agriculture, and citizens. As our population continues to grow, we need to increase efforts for greater water efficiency and optimization. Careful and coordinated state plans with input from all types of users are imperative to safeguarding this precious resource.

An important step to optimizing our water is through secondary metering. When secondary water metering is used, outdoor water use is reduced by 30-40%.

ENERGY

Utah’s natural environment is a legacy that has been preserved and passed to succeeding generations. The Salt Lake Chamber has always supported conservation as well as innovation in order to create a diverse energy portfolio that allows us to both care for and utilize the rich energy resources we have.

CHAMBER MEMBER SURVEY RESULTS ON ENERGY DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES

Legislative Priorities

We support investment in the continued development of key energy infrastructure to facilitate greater use of diverse energy technologies.

We support advancements in infrastructure and market access for Utah’s abundant energy and mineral resources.

We support maintaining Utah’s diverse energy portfolio, including working towards greater energy efficiency and the development of new energy technologies.

We support targeted efforts to assist home and building owners to become more energy efficient.

We support data-driven legislative efforts and Chamber partnerships to improve air quality.

We support deterring wood burning through increased enforcement on mandatory non-wood burning days and investment for wood burning change outs specifically targeted to geographic areas that are disproportionately affected by air pollution.