Maps
High Concentrations of Air Pollution for Marginalized Groups in West Salt Lake Valley
McKay Jones and Janessa-Michelle Purcell
Lucid Map Link (Used for Brainstorming): https://lucid.app/lucidspark/50ba5100-2be6-43cb-971d-f2abc565fd7f/edit?viewport_loc=-607%2C627%2C3159%2C1518%2C3A74EN7Jxciq&invitationId=inv_61e94316-4173-4514-a732-cd5c7db997be
Final Maps:
Historical Timeline and Context:
Below is a picture of our timeline and our original source on Miro:
Link to timeline:
Timeline Legend:
Comparison Graph of Cities on the East and West side of Salt Lake:
Iceberg Map:
Iceberg Map Canva Link:
Stakeholders:
Here is a link to a simple Stakeholder Map on Kumu: https://kumu.io/McKayJones1/stakeholder-map-air-pollution-disparities
Stakeholders Map
Existing Interventions and Effectiveness:
System Map/Feedback Loops:
Here is a link to our original source on Kumu: https://kumu.io/McKayJones1/high-rates-of-air-pollution-for-marginalized-groups-in-salt-lake
Legend for System Map
Gaps and Levers of Change:
Annotated Bibliography
Books
Cater, B. (2014). Segregating sanitation in Salt Lake City 1870-1915. Utah Historical Society. https://issuu.com/utah10/docs/uhq_volume82_2014_number2/s/10425735
Utah has a long history of serving white, Mormon, affluent residents and neighborhoods first, especially in issues like water access and public health. Minorities and the working class were actively discriminated against or under resourced in the late 1800s and early 1900s. For example, low-income white and non-white immigrants settled in west Salt Lake Valley by the Jordan River in the 1880s. The Jordan Canal, their main source of water, usually received polluted water from white, Mormon east side communities. Residents continued to dump their waste and filth in the Westside. Low incomes for these communities led 90% to have to rent rather than own homes. This historical paper shows the patterns of trends of environmental and public health discrimination in Utah’s history.
Farmer, J. (2010). On Zion’s Mount: Mormons, Indians, and the American Landscape. Harvard University Press.
This book outlines many of the mental models that caused Utah Valley to move its image from Utah Lake to the mountains, specifically Mount Timpanogos. These mental models could include Mormon elitism, indigenous erasure, history-erasure, negative views of Utah Lake (almost becoming a joke to local people), or the belief in God that causes them to believe that everything will work out for them (they can just trust in God, they don’t have to change their behavior to protect the environment or their future). This source also details cycles of Mormons getting trained at Missionary Training Centers, going to Brigham Young University and getting married quickly, then having large families by raising Mormon children. It also showcases erasure or suppression of other cultures because of large families and generational, established wealth or privilege. Little care or consideration is given to immigrants or minorities throughout Utah’s history. Many Mormons hold the mental model that Utah is God’s chosen land, which means that they can use as much water as they can to make this a ‘Deseret’ Paradise.’
Oluo, I. (2020). Cowboys and Patriots. In Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America (pp. 30–45). Seal Press.
Details history of the Mountain Meadows massacre, drawing parallels to the conflict between the Bundy brothers and the United States federal government. This source was very helpful in detailing harmful mental models that perpetuate our social issue, including white supremacy, settler colonialism, entitlement, etc. It showcases how Mormon pioneers saw themselves as separate from the rest of the United States, which supports our final “State of Deseret” mental model. This “Wild West” mentality involves white men battling over land that was never theirs. This is seen today in Utah government’s conflicts with the federal government over federal land (such as Bears’ Ears). This mental model also applies to how Utah politicians engage with environmental policy, which involves fighting against the EPA’s standards.
Journal Articles
Amanda V. Bakian, Rebekah S. Huber, Hilary Coon, Douglas Gray, Phillip Wilson, William M. McMahon, Perry F. Renshaw, Acute Air Pollution Exposure and Risk of Suicide Completion, American Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 181, Issue 5, 1 March 2015, Pages 295–303, https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwu341
Exposure to higher concentrations of air pollutants, even for a short amount of time, raises the chances of someone carrying out a suicide attempt. Discrimination usually leads to stress, which lowers an individual's allostatic load. This means that when someone who already experiences stress gets put in an unhealthy environment, they become more likely to get sick. This journal article shows the connections between the environment and mental health, and the importance of seeing the health of a person holistically.
Angelina L DeMarco et al. (13 November 2020). Air pollution-related health impacts on individuals experiencing homelessness: Environmental Justice and Health Vulnerability in Salt Lake County, Utah. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/22/8413
The purpose of this study is to use an environmental justice approach to understand how cardiopulmonary health of IEHs is affected by episodic air quality in Salt Lake County. Through a combination of in person interviews and corresponding state-based provider database, researchers examined the overall descriptives of and relationships between different types of homelessness. More than half of IEH’s contribute physically to the air pollution. The exposure to air pollution can worsen a person’s health by increasing their risk of cardiovascular and pulmonary events.
Attah, R., Kaur, K., Perry, K. D., Fernandez, D. P., & Kelly, K. E. (2024, August 8). Assessing the oxidative potential of dust from Great Salt Lake. Atmospheric Environment. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1352231024004035#sec1
The Great Salt Lake has reached historical low records in recent years, exposing thousands of square miles of exposed lakebed. Winds blow particle matter and other exposed chemicals from these dry playas towards urban areas alongside the Wasatch Front. This study found that the concentration of arsenic and lithium in GSL dust samples exceeds the Environmental Protection Agency’s standards. Dust samples also had higher oxidative potential, which is the capability of particle matter to bring adverse health effects. We plan to use this study to show how the drying up of the Great Salt Lake brings bad health outcomes for disadvantaged communities in Utah.
Bryan Dorsey. (26 February 2024). Refocusing on Sustainability: Promoting Straw Bale building for Government-Assisted, Self-Help Housing Programs in Utah and Abroad. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/5/2545
This article is centered on ways that Utah can reduce its carbon emissions, lower costs for housing, and create a subsidized housing program that is also sustainable. Dorsey encourages a review of the housing programs in Utah to perform a policy analysis that adopts this process of construction of houses with straw bales. A special area of focus to promote sustainability in this context is the consideration of energy and electricity use in the home. Dorsey emphasizes that to achieve sustainability a perspective view of modest housing. Attention should be given to establishing more sustainable housing options for families of low-income and individuals who live in subsidized housing. Sustainability issues include consideration of social, economic and environmental interests as well as long-term damages of natural resources from energy and carbon construction practices.
Collins, T. W., & Grineski, S. E. (2019). Environmental Injustice and Religion: Outdoor Air Pollution Disparities in Metropolitan Salt Lake City, Utah. Annals of the American Association of Geographers, 109(5), 1597–1617. https://doi.org/10.1080/24694452.2018.1546568
Non-Mormons are more likely to experience air pollution than Mormons in Salt Lake City, given the LDS church’s political, social, and economic dominance. Because urbanization and city planning were done by and for Mormons, Mormons systemically experience protection from various forms of environmental injustice, including air pollution. Mormons and non-Mormons tend to group together in neighborhoods, and it seems that most Mormons have the social capital to live in more affluent areas.
Grineski, S. E., Mallia, D. V., Collins, T. W., Araos, M., Lin, J. C., Anderegg, W. R. L., & Perry, K. (2024). Harmful dust from drying lakes: Preserving great salt lake (USA) water levels decreases ambient dust and racial disparities in population exposure. One Earth, 7(6), 1056–1067. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.05.006
This study highlights the economic and racial disparities to particulate matter exposure that the SLC Metropolitan area experiences as the Great Salt Lake dries up. If Utahns can take better care of the lake, the gaps between Latinos/Pacific Islanders and non-Hispanic Whites that experience chemical exposure will shrink. This supports the finding that environmental justice action for the most affected groups betters the conditions for all people.
Hispanics and Pacific Islanders exposed disproportionately to toxins from Great Salt Lake--study; Winds blow particulates from drying lake into minority neighborhoods, exposing people to harmful particulates. (2024, July 15). Guardian [London, England], NA. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A801415481/STND?u=utahvalley&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=efff39bf
As the Great Salt Lake dries up and kicks up harmful chemicals such as particulate matter (PM2.5), Hispanic and Pacific-Islander populations get disproportionately exposed compared to their white counterparts. When Lake Salton Sea dried in California, researchers documented big increases in respiratory deaths due to PM2.5 exposure. White people who initially moved to Utah moved to areas with less wind and with higher elevation, which protects them from higher amounts of harmful chemicals. This source shows that minority neighborhoods are more likely to get adverse health conditions as the GSL dries up.
Hazboun, S. O., Howe, P. D., Coppock, D. L., & Givens, J. E. (2020, October 3). The politics of decarbonization: Examining conservative partisanship and differential support for climate change science and Renewable Energy in Utah. Energy Research & Social Science. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629620303443#s0070
Renewable energy, one of the primary paths for reducing carbon emissions, has much more broad political appeal than the polarizing topic of climate change. Renewable energy development is expanding in Utah, but the state lacks a renewable energy mandate for electric utilities. Utah political leaders continue to debate whether climate change is a result of human causes. Therefore, when examining levers of change in Utah’s political landscape, suggesting renewable energy without linking it to global warming could get massive support. State policymakers may be more attracted towards “carrot” approaches (tax rebates for solar panels) than “stick” approaches (polluters pay fines due to regulation failures). The new Conservative Climate Summit and Caucus is successful because it talks about renewable energy without federal regulations.
Han Li, Yehua Dennis Wei, Zhou Yu, Guang Tian. (2016, November). Amenity, accessibility and housing values in metropolitan USA: A study of Salt Lake County, Utah. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264275116302888?casa_token=JMhdI2bHZHYAAAAA:BndAq4cYlsQsIIB9E0GwtAWI6CH-sggjj3iObVi-fVgipWUi7ESvh2tTwLcG1Yi2k_qKSRG98GI
Better air quality, green spaces, education, and access to transportation raises housing values in Utah. If policymakers want Utah to continue growing, investing in these things will make more people want to move to Utah. Incentivizing policymakers to correlate growth and prosperity to clean air may be an effective lever of change for bettering Utah’s quality of life. However, increased growth to Utah has led to more cars on the road, which leads to more air pollution.
Leiser, C. L., Smith, K. R., VanDerslice, J. A., Glotzbach, J. P., Farrell, T. W., & Hanson, H. A. (2019, December 2). Evaluation of the sex-and-age-specific effects of PM2.5 on hospital readmission in the presence of the competing risk of mortality in the Medicare population of Utah 1999–2009. MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/8/12/2114
The elderly and women are particularly vulnerable to the effects of PM2.5 (particulate matter). The current EPA standards for air pollution may not be low enough to protect those at the highest risk from suffering from a disease or dying. Individuals with chronic conditions are more likely to be readmitted to hospitals after exposure to harmful air pollution. This study suggests that comprehensive education towards vulnerable populations about the risks of PM2.5 can save hospitals money (due to smaller amounts of readmissions). We will use this study to help us craft a narrative about marginalized populations with disabilities or medical conditions, and the urgent need to protect them.
Mendoza, D. L., Crosman, E. T., Benney, T. M., Anderson, C., & Gonzales, S. A. (2024). A Preliminary Case Study on the Compounding Effects of Local Emissions and Upstream Wildfires on Urban Air Pollution. Fire, 7(6), 184. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire7060184
When Salt Lake City experiences wildfire smoke from far-away sources, the smoke combines with harmful chemicals already in the air and raises the concentration of all pollutants, especially PM2.5, CH4 (methane), CO (carbon monoxide), and ozone. Daniel Mendoza is also looking at how air quality warnings for incoming wildfire smoke can be improved for vulnerable populations. Daniel Mendoza is a great example of an existing intervention of community engagement learning and research and was included in the final map.
Mitchell, L. E., & Zajchowski, C. A. B. (2022, August 5). The history of air quality in Utah: A narrative review. MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/15/9653#:~:text=Air%20quality%20has%20been%20an%20issue%20in%20Utah,Salt%20Lake%20Valley%20for%20extended%20periods%20of%20time.
Air quality has been a problem in Utah for as long as its residents have been combusting fuel. This report details the problems, movements, policies, and actions surrounding Utah’s air pollution crisis. Contamination decreased as homes and businesses transitioned from coal usage to natural gas. However, higher usage of cars contributed to worsened air quality, and Utah’s population growth could prove catastrophic for years to come. Many of the specific dates, studies, and policies mentioned in this report were used in the timeline.
Mullen, Casey, et al. (2020, April 18). Patterns of distributive environmental inequity under different PM2.5 air pollution scenarios for Salt Lake County Public Schools. Environmental Research. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935120304369?dgcid=author
Predominantly minority schools and communities (usually Salt Lake’s Valley lowest elevation neighborhoods) are susceptible to higher concentrations of PM2.5 air pollution during winter inversions and summer smog. University funding made this project much more comprehensive. Without the University of Utah’s air monitors, the researchers could only map the SLC community with two air monitors from the Utah Division of Air Quality’s network.
Ou, J. Y., Kirchhoff, A. C., & Hanson, H. A. (2020). Air Pollution across the Cancer Continuum: Extending Our Understanding of the Relationship between Environmental Exposures and Cancer. Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology, 29(10), 1876–1879. https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-19-1588
Most cancer patients and survivors continue to live in the areas where they developed these chronic conditions. Racial and ethnic minorities live in more polluted areas and have reduced cancer survival compared with non-Hispanic whites. Health-based regulatory standards based on the six chemicals laid out in the Clean Air Act were a historic victory for public health in the United States, but further research on more chemicals (and how they affect different people) proves essential. This source will be used to highlight the fact that most cancer patients continue to live in these places and breathe in the same harmful chemicals that gave them cancer in the first place.
Ou, J. Y., Peters, J. L., Levy, J. I., Bongiovanni, R., Rossini, A., & Scammell, M. K. (2018). Self-rated health and its association with perceived environmental hazards, the social environment, and cultural stressors in an environmental justice population. BMC public health, 18(1), 970. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5797-7
The intersectionality of being an immigrant and a racial minority is correlated with higher levels of stress, which results in overall worse health. Environmental, cultural, and social stressors negatively affect self-rated health. Stress due to immigration status and isolation from friends and family seriously affects human health.
Smith, E. K., Bognar, M. J., & Mayer, A. P. (2024, January 10). Polarisation of climate and environmental attitudes in the United States, 1973-2022. Nature News. https://www.nature.com/articles/s44168-023-00074-1#Sec10
This article illustrates how the two dominant political parties in the United States, Democrats and Republicans, have changed their views about the environment in the last 40 years. In the 1990s, Republicans started to become less likely to believe in human causes of climate change. Groups that support transportation, electrical utilities, and the fossil fuel industry spend 10 times more on climate change lobbying than groups that support renewable energy and environmental protection. Successful environmental policy needs the support from both sides of the political spectrum. These data points motivated us in our research journey to find non polarizing interventions to Utah’s issues of energy and air pollution.
Susann Henschel, et al. (17 May 2012). Air pollution interventions and their impact on public health. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00038-012-0369-6
Salt Lake is ranked #14 in the world for having bad air quality. This study shows systematically how epidemiological studies are connected between air pollution and health. While some interventions have been made and have shown improvement in the reduction of air pollution. There has been consistent evidence that depicts better health results based on the decrease in air pollution.
Weinzimmer, D., Trapenberg K., Waddel, P., (7 April 2014). The politics of sustainable development opposition: State legislative efforts to stop the United Nation’s agenda 21 in the United States. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0042098014528397
In this article, the Tea Party’s objection to the UN’s Agenda 21 sheds light on the argument that Agenda 21 infringes on the rights of individual property owners. The opposition also shares a narrative that the UN is attempting to redistribute the wealth from nations that are developed to developing nations under the guise of “questionable climate science”. This article sets out to examine the opposing proposals and bills to halt the Agenda-21 focused practices by individual states and other organizations.
Websites
Arlington, L. J. (1994). Colonization of Utah. History To Go. https://historytogo.utah.gov/colonization-utah/#:~:text=The%20establishment%20of%20settlements%20in,Dixie%20on%20the%20Arizona%20border.
This history article details the establishment of Utah settlements in four stages. The first stage ran from 1847 to 1857 and marked the settlement of the Wasatch Front by Mormon pioneers. Ninety settlements were formed in the first ten years of Mormon colonization. Mining and coal was very important to the colonizers because of the limited amount of timber in Salt Lake Valley. Mormon migration to Utah slowed down after 1900 because Mormons outside of the state weren’t told to gather in Utah anymore. This source was used for our timeline, especially in our colonization stage.
Cabrera, A., & Miller, S. (n.d.). Reaching for Air: Stories from the Valley. Reaching for air. https://reachingforair.sltrib.com/audio-stories
This journalism project interviews multiple stakeholders and people with lived experience of experiencing adverse health effects from living on Salt Lake City’s west side. It is a great model of an interactive and accessible medium to learn from frontline communities.
Call, B. (2023, December 22). Understanding the sources and causes of Utah’s Air Pollution. Utah Department of Environmental Quality. https://deq.utah.gov/communication/news/understanding-utahs-air-quality
This page details the chemicals that bring the biggest health risks to Utahns. Particulate matter, or PM2.5, acts as the main contributor to wintertime inversions. About 48% of typical inversions in Utah come from mobile sources, such as vehicles, trains, or airplanes. Ozone forms from the breaking apart of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) during high temperatures. Nitrogen oxides form when fuel gets burned at high temperatures. Ground ozone comes from compounds from automobiles, industrial facilities, and household products. PM10 (larger particle matter), comes from power plants, crushing or grinding operations, and car engines. Sulfur oxides originate from the burning of fossil fuels, especially coal. Since so many chemicals contribute to bad human health and these chemicals come from a plethora of sources, cooperation and collaboration among all walks of life and sectors proves necessary.
Environmental Protection Network. (2025, May 2). Proposed 55% cut to EPA Is a wrecking ball that endangers the air we breathe and the water we drink. Environmental Protection Network. https://www.environmentalprotectionnetwork.org/20250502_budget-cuts/
The Environmental Protection Network (EPN) is a nonprofit organization of over 650 former Environmental Protection Agency staff. Their mission includes providing analysis and assistance to the present EPA. This media advisory details how EPA’s proposed 2026 budget will be the lowest since the early 1970s. However, over 68% of Americans want Congress to increase funding for EPA, including 56% of Trump voters. This brief also details how cuts to the EPA’s Office of Research and Development undermines its central vision of scientific-based policymaking. The EPN argues that these cuts place the burden of environmental protection on the states and calls for the United States Congress to reject Trump’s budget cuts. The website showcases how the rollback of environmental regulation worsens Utah’s systemic air pollution.
First Street. (n.d.). Does West Valley City have Risk?. firststreet.org. https://firststreet.org/city/west-valley-cityhttps://firststreet.org/city/west-valley-city-ut/4983470_fsid/air-ut/4983470_fsid/air
This source studies cities across the United States and gives them climate risk measurements, in sub-categories flood factor, fire factor, wind factor, air factor, and heat factor. West Valley City has poorer air quality than 83% of cities in Utah. Ozone concentrations in this city do not meet EPA’s standards. Centerville, which also resides close to Utah’s refineries, has very bad air quality as well. The worse pollution facilities in West Valley city are Hexcel corp, the Bacchus Facility (owned by the Hercules Company), and Parker Hannifin. This source shows important statistics that will be used in our presentation.
Goel, Krishnam (2024, October 29). Crowded neighborhoods: 2024 Utah priorities project. Utah Foundation. https://www.utahfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/UPPB15.pdf
This report shows that most Utah voters support affordable housing, which would be one of the sacrifices to slow urban growth. Utahns also prioritized crowded neighborhoods as an issue of “low concern”. Utah’s population may reach 5.5 million by 2060, which shows that a stronger transportation system proves essential for mitigating health risks. Homeowners are also the most likely group to keep housing prices high to slow growth, as they could see increased growth as threatening to them. This source shows the complexities that come from Utah’s recent and continuing population increases.
Gonzalez, D., Kenney, G. M., O’Brien, C., McDaniel, M., & Karpman, M. (2022, September 16). Publicly insured and uninsured patients are more likely than other patients to be treated unfairly in health care settings because of their coverage type. Urban Institute. https://www.urban.org/research/publication/publicly-insured-and-uninsured-patients-are-more-likely-other-patients-be
This study finds that publicly insured or uninsured patients are more likely to report unfair treatment in healthcare settings because of their health insurance. Having a disability or a physical health condition increases the likelihood of unfair treatment. These statistics show reinforcing feedback loops of people facing increased discrimination as chronic conditions develop, alongside higher amounts of medical debt from lack of adequate medical insurance and care.
Hollingshaus, M., Hogue, M., Bateman, M., & Lloyd, N. (2024, October). Utah State and County Short-Term Planning Projections, 2024-2033. Kem G. Gardner Policy Institute. https://d36oiwf74r1rap.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/ShortTerm-Proj-Oct2024.pdf
This source shows projected population growth for Utah within the next 9 years. Utah’s population is rapidly growing and rapidly aging, stressing the need for an adequate healthcare system for all.
Housley, N. (2023, January 6). The origins of Rose Park. Beehive Archives-Salt Lake Stories. https://stories.utahhumanities.org/stories/items/show/459
Before 1947, most areas outside of Salt Lake City’s city center were dedicated to industry and its toxic waste. The area that would become Rose Park was in close proximity to oil refineries. From 1930 to 1957, the Utah Oil and Refining Company dumped toxic sludge into a pit in this area. The state did not start cleaning up this harmful waste until the 1980s. This source influenced our timeline and patterns of environmental injustice.
Parkan, P. & Ford, R. (Host). (2024, August 1). The Future of Environmental Regulation Following SCOTUS’ Overruling of the Chevron Doctrine (No. 140) [Audio podcast episode] In Standford Legal. Standford Law School. https://law.stanford.edu/stanford-legal-podcast/the-future-of-environmental-regulation-after-the-supreme-courts-term-chevron-deference/
The Chevron deference was overturned by the conservative-majority Supreme Court on June 28, 2024. Originally enacted in 1984, the Chevron deference states that if a regulation made by Congress has some ambiguities or confusion in its interpretation, the federal agency that is implementing that regulation gets to fill in those gaps. The Chevron deference could be especially useful for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), because they had the power to decide how to best enact pollution regulations.
With the overturning of this deference, unspecialized courts now decide environmental regulations. Climate rules that the EPA has issued are now challenged. The interpretation of public health science resides in the hands of judges who may not understand all the complexities of these laws and policies.
Maimia Natividad and Kyler Zaratec. (2024, October 18). Transportation: 2024 Utah priorities project. Utah Foundation. https://www.utahfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/UPPB12.pdf
This report highlights how most Utahns, most urban and rural, want a more expansive public transportation system. Only 6% of Utah’s budget gets spent on transportation, but urban Utahns want new development for easier walking, biking, and public transportation.
Mann, C. (2019, October 23). One step forward, Two steps back: Utah’s Medicaid expansion. Commonwealth Fund. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2019/one-step-forward-two-steps-back-utahs-medicaid-expansion
A recent Utah Medicaid waiver allows the state to close enrollment for a newly covered adult group. Utah gets to decide how much it will spend on Medicaid for poor adults and will open and close the application when necessary. This brings an increased burden for disadvantaged communities because it makes Medicaid unreliable. It also might discourage people from changing jobs or adding work hours, because it might cause barriers to regaining medical coverage. This article was used to show how marginalized communities, even with closer medical coverage, may not benefit from it due to Utah’s confusing Medicaid policies.
Nieto, Melissa. (2024, October 15). Homelessness: 2024 Utah priorities project. Utah Foundation. https://www.utahfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/UPPB11.pdf
This report details the differences between situational and chronic homelessness and includes different statistics and potential interventions for both. For example, the Housing First model (from End Utah Homelessness Salt Lake Valley) prioritizes giving individuals suffering from chronic homelessness permanent housing before any other treatment. The stability of a constant home provides pathways to act on the underlying issues that led to homelessness. Increased risks for unhoused Utahns can come from the recent Supreme Court decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson and the use of “hostile design” in some neighborhoods (e.g. park benches with spikes).
Salevurakis, J. (2024, August 28). Housing affordability: 2024 Utah priorities project. Utah Foundation. https://www.utahfoundation.org/reports/housing-affordability-2024-priorities-brief-1/
This report uses various survey methods to integrate the perspectives of the public and policymakers of Utah about affordable housing. Among the survey respondent's answers, encouraging Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and “middle housing” were the most popular strategies for implementing more affordable housing. Accessory Dwelling Units are additional, self-contained housing units that are secondary to a main residence. Some examples of ADUs include basements, attics, or garages. Many residents also feel that potential interventions do not account for the diverse ranges of cities across the state. Most municipal officers believe that state mandates do more harm than good, and that housing policy should be conducted at the local or city level.
These officials get most of their information from colleagues and training events (76% for each). Therefore, presenting a systems-thinking approach to this social issue at these training sessions could be a potential lever of change. These officers list “community opposition” as the biggest obstacle for increasing housing affordability. Not-in-my-backyard (NIMBYism) acts as one of the mental models in this system. Increasing effective communication between residents and municipal officers potentially acts as another lever of change. This study recommends further research into the sources of community opposition towards affordable housing.
Shcheglovitova, M., Jones, E., Aviles, C., & Westwood, B. (2023, October 3). Redlining, housing segregation and environmental pollution in the Pioneer Park neighborhood (and beyond). Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement. https://community.utah.gov/redlining-housing-segregation-and-environmental-pollution-in-the-pioneer-park-neighborhood-and-beyond/
When formal redlining in Utah first began in the 1930s, the Pioneer Park neighborhood was designated as an industrial area, meaning that developers saw it as uninhabitable. However, this completely disregards the thriving Mexican American community living there at the time. Patterns of segregation lead to the present-day state of marginalized communities and to different exposures to environmental harms. This article will be used to show the harm that comes from cultural erasure and will inform the audience about the history of redlining in Utah.
Simmons, Lee (2022, August 18). If You Lived Here, You Might Be a Voter By Now. Stanford Graduate School of Business. https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/if-you-lived-here-you-might-be-voter-now
Those who own homes vote much more in local elections than those who do not, especially on issues that relate to zoning (regulations in specific areas of a state). Increases in voting are influenced by economic considerations. Homeowners with more expensive homes are more likely to vote than those who own less expensive homes. This article highlights an important feedback loop we could use: possessing property leads to increased civic participation among homeowners, which then develops policy that excludes others from possessing policy. This exclusion of others leads to a reinforcing feedback loop of smaller amounts of decision makers, or a smaller pool of people in positions of power.
Stein, P. (2023, March 22). Where does the money go in environmental grantmaking?. Yale School of the Environment. https://environment.yale.edu/news/article/where-does-money-go-environmental-grantmaking
Most philanthropic donations go toward the biggest or more noticeable environment groups or nonprofits. Foundations are especially hesitant to fund environmental justice led organizations or organizations led or dedicated to people of color. Over 80% of all widespread support grants in the last couple of years went to white-led organizations. The communities that are in most need of funding are getting the least amount of funding to complete their work. This is a gap in this social issue, and this article was used to then frame one of our levers of change. For significant impact to be made on issues that communities of color face in Utah, the philanthropic community needs to invest in smaller environmental justice-focused organizations and in Utah’s frontline communities.
Strong Towns. (2023, September 6). Who is the “public” at public meetings? https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/8/27/who-is-the-public-at-public-meetings
This report highlights the overrepresentation of homeowners in public meetings, and that most attendees at public meetings oppose new housing construction, even from areas that consistently vote for new housing. More accessible pathways to gauge public opinion, or a more accessible public meeting system, could act as potential levers of change in the political system.
The University of Utah. (2024, October 28). Jarred Martinez receives staff excellence award. University Neighborhood Partners. https://www.partners.utah.edu/jarred-martinez-receives-staff-excellence-award/
Jarred Martinez helps coordinate the Mestizo Arts and Activism, which helps promote development for west Salt Lake Valley high schoolers. The Mestizo Arts and Activism was identified as an existing intervention for getting more representation in higher education and in healthcare jobs.
University of Utah. (2020). The history of air quality in Utah. 1850s-1920s · The History of Air Quality in Utah · J. Willard Marriott Library Exhibits. https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/history-of-air-quality-in-utah/page/1850-1920
Air quality became a massive concern for Salt Lake Valley after the use of coal became widespread, both residential and industrially. Salt Lake City’s first air quality ordinance in 1891 was not strictly enforced and most industrial sites were zoned to be built west of the Jordan River. After WWI, SLC became an important hub for air pollution research, mostly due to the vast amounts of it. Formed in 1936, The Salt Lake Women’s Chamber of Commerce advocated for stricter protocols on air pollution, but had limited success. WWII saw a pause in air policy regulations because of the military industrial complex, which brought huge amounts of industrial production to SLC. This website will be used in the timeline to detail past organizations and practices used to combat air pollution. It also shows how patterns of war and industrial competition led to worse health outcomes for all.
Utah Department of Health. (2021). Utah Primary Care Needs Assessment 2021. Office of Primary Care and Rural Health. https://ruralhealth.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021-PCNA.pdf
Rose Park, West Valley, and South Salt Lake have the highest rates of Social Determinants of Health in Utah. Economic hardships contribute to poorer health outcomes. Starting conversations about these under resourced groups and increasing funding towards accessible Telehealth can act as levers of change.
Utah Department of Health. (2022). Public Health Indicator based Information System. https://ibis.utah.gov/ibisph-view/indicator/complete_profile/AsthAdltPrev.html
The data collected by the Department of Health provides a visual of the number of Emergency Room visits due to Asthma in cities throughout Utah. Cities on the west side have a higher number of Emergency Room visits and are higher than Utah’s average.
Utah Foundation. (2024). Utah residents want better air quality, but not at higher prices. (The Deseret News). https://www.utahfoundation.org/news/utah-residents-want-better-air-quality-but-not-at-higher-prices/
In a survey that polled statewide, the Utah Foundation saw 60% of surveyed Utahns do feel stronger environmental regulations should be supported. The survey also indicated that 75% of surveyors believe environmental protections should be more important than economic growth. While these numbers are pretty high, Utahns believe that while these regulations are important, they are not willing to fund the fight.
Utah Healthy Places index. Department of Health and Human Services. (2024, April 18). https://map.utah.healthyplacesindex.org/
This map gives certain neighborhoods a ‘Healthy Places Index’ score, based on a variety of factors (clean environment, healthcare access, and housing) that contribute to overall public health in the area. Urban areas such as Salt Lake City and West Valley City received the lowest overall scores, and the areas that typically receive the lowest ‘clean environment’ scores exist in the West side of Salt Lake Valley. These communities not only have higher concentrations of arsenic (usually from the Great Salt Lake), diesel particulate matter, and fine particulate matter, they also have the lowest scores for healthcare access (which is only based on the percentage of insured adults).
These statistics show that communities that were historically redlined face potentially higher rates of chronic conditions, due to lower air quality in their neighborhoods, alongside many other factors.
Westwood, B. (2023a, November 9). Utah’s expanding railroads and Salt Lake’s West Side. CCE. https://community.utah.gov/utahs-expanding-railroads-and-salt-lakes-west-side/
The Transcontinental Railroad and the beginning of the Utah Central Railroad established the industrial revolution in Utah, forever changing Utah’s demographics and social landscape. When immigrants arrived in Salt Lake valley to find jobs, many territorial Mormons perceived them as strangers, and they were ostracized to the west. The railroad brought significant economic advantages to Utah, and helped establish industry and mining. This article was used to show historical patterns of discrimination and nativism against non-Mormons.
Westwood, B. (2023, November 18). Salt Lake City loses its “Dirtiest City” status, the west side, public health, and the city’s only surviving Pioneer Square. Salt Lake City Loses Its “Dirtiest City” Status, the West Side, Public Health, and the City’s Only Surviving Pioneer Square. https://community.utah.gov/salt-lake-city-loses-its-dirtiest-city-status-the-west-side-public-health-and-the-citys-only-surviving-pioneer-square/
Historically, Salt Lake City leaders delayed health and civil improvements for west Salt Lake Valley. During the late 1800s, sewage and waste was gathered into canals near present-day Pioneer Park, leading to adverse health outcomes for the residents there. Better sewage and drainage systems were developed in affluent neighborhoods and in Salt Lake’s central business district first, with no work being done for western neighborhoods. West Salt Lake was consistently looked down upon for its “dirty” status, so little advocacy existed for these people.
Westwood, B., & Clark, C. (2023, November 8). Current challenges and developments in a post-industrial neighborhood: Part Two. CCE. https://community.utah.gov/current-challenges-and-developments-in-a-post-industrial-neighborhood-part-two/
Salt Lake valley’s west side continues to attract poverty-stricken populations. This post details how many members of Utah’s Latinx community felt targeted by the police while Ruben Ortega acted as Salt Lake City’s police chief in the 1990s. He constructed a tall fence around Pioneer Park, in hopes of reducing drug activity and keeping homeless individuals from camping there. This fence was closed from dusk to dawn, and made many marginalized groups feel unwelcome.
Westwood, B., & Clark, C. (2023b, November 28). Twentieth and twenty-first century Pioneer Park neighborhood developments. CCE. https://community.utah.gov/twentieth-and-twenty-first-century-pioneer-park-neighborhood-developments/
The creation of I-15 from 1959 to 1964 followed Utah’s existing railroad corridors, further dividing west and east Salt Lake.
Westwood, B., Clark, C., & Aviles, C. (2023, October 5). Latinos/as and the west side: Part Two. CCE. https://community.utah.gov/latino-as-and-the-west-side-part-two/
In the 1930s, many longtime Mexican Americans in Utah were deported to Mexico. Many Americans during this time embraced nativism and other anti-immigrant ideologies. However, the next decade brought an increased demand for Latinx labor due to World War II. Utah’s Latinx employees are very important to Utah’s mining, construction, agriculture, and building maintenance jobs, as well as many other businesses. This article was used to show patterns of discrimination in the timeline.
Periodicals
Banta, M. (2024, September 25). Utah’s air quality has been harming your health for years, but tourism is now in the Crossfire. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2024/09/25/utah-air-quality-how-haze-ozone/
This news article details how air quality affects multiple areas of the state, and how future potential tourists may get steered away due to the bad air quality. This article identified multiple stakeholders, such as the Utah Petroleum Assocation, an independent trade association comprising Utah’s oil and gas industry. Other stakeholders, including Seth Lyman of Utah State’s Bingham Research Center, and Bryce Bird, director of the air division of Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality. Quotes from Utah State Senator Nate Blouin could be used in the presentation to highlight how the Utah government is shifting responsibility to act on air quality regulation.
Burke, S. (2021a, November 5). Asthma is hitting some parts of Salt Lake County harder. here’s why. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/news/health/2021/11/05/high-asthma-rates-worse/
The neighborhoods of Glendale, Rose Park, and West Valley City have some of the highest rates of asthma burden in Utah (6 times worse than Park City). Low-income and minority groups are also more likely to be hit by risks of air pollution. Lack of medical insurance and coverage leads people to receive care until emergency situations arise.
Burke, S. (2021, November 29). See the maps: Where redlining happened in Utah. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://local.sltrib.com/redline-utah/
This map shows where historic redlining occurred in Salt Lake Valley. Typically, Eastern areas were deemed most desirable and now comprise high amounts of white, upper class, LDS individuals. Areas on the West side of the valley comprise higher amounts of marginalized communities. These places have higher rates of homeless individuals, chronic conditions (such as asthma), and harmful air quality. These communities, according to the article, have lower rates of healthcare access.
Cortez, M. (2024a, February 27). Legislative Committee commits $800M total in bonding for hospital in West Valley City. Deseret News. https://www.deseret.com/utah/2024/2/26/24081625/legislative-committee-800m-total-in-bonding-for-hospital-west-valley-city/
SB241 was signed into law during the 2024 Legislative Session, which gives $800M towards the construction of the University of Utah Hospital in West Valley City. This project will expand medical access for this underserved community and was vastly supported by the House and Senate. This upcoming development will be an existing intervention for medical care, but not for the root cause of the problem: high rates of pollution for these communities.
Davila IV, J. (2024, November 9). I-15 widening: A jaw-dropping new price tag and everything else we learned from the final environmental report. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/news/2024/11/09/i-15-udot-releases-final-report/
Costs for the expansion of I-15 rose from $1.7 billion to $3.7 billion. Even though west-siders and other groups have raised opposition for the expansion due to air pollution and home demolitions, plans are approved with full steam ahead. Several homes and businesses will get destroyed as well. The report answered many of the questions brought up by opposers to this expansion, but the decision still shows that people in power prioritize car transportation over the long-term safety and cohesion of west Salt Lake Valley.
Davila IV, J. (2024a, April 7). The U.’s West Valley Hospital Project Moving Forward. so is its workforce program. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/news/2024/04/07/us-west-valley-hospital-project/
There is a 10 year difference in life expectancy between west Salt Lake Valley and east Salt Lake Valley. The West Valley Hospital should be completed by 2027, but the University of Utah is also developing a pipeline program to attract more west side residents to healthcare jobs. This article shows that the existing intervention of expanded healthcare and educational access doesn’t need to be developed again, and that we should focus more on the root causes of pollution that cause medical conditions.
Davila IV, J., & Miller, J. (2024, August 28). Utah used faulty methodology to conclude I-15 expansion won’t exceed Federal Air Quality Standards, expert says. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/news/2024/08/28/utah-says-i-15-expansion-barely/
The Utah Department of Transportation’s environmental study on the decrease in air quality from the expansion of I-15 used several loopholes to get approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. UDOT used air pollution data from 2020 (when there were less cars on the road) and measured the data from sites farther from the highway expansion. This data also brings in estimates of more people using electric vehicles in the future, which might not be 100% accurate. Additionally, UDOT only looked at particulate matter, not other harmful chemicals that come from highways like nitrogen oxides or ozone. On top of all of this, UDOT’s study showed that they were still above the EPA’s standards. We will use this article to show that most policymakers prefer growth and development over long-term public health effects from this growth.
Dunphey, K. (2024, February 1). Utah governor signs bill allowing Utah to not comply with Federal Directives. Utah News Dispatch. https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2024/01/31/legislature-passes-bill-utah-not-comply-federal-directives/
SB57 “Utah Constitutional Sovereignty Act” allows Utah lawmakers to reject any action from the federal government, unless a court rules against it. This includes federal environmental regulations, which could stall Utah bettering their air quality. Bill sponsor Senator Scott Sandall stated that no other state has tried what Utah is doing. Sandall supported this bill by voicing his frustrations with the “Good Neighbor Act” from the EPA. According to Sandall, Utah spent “millions” on enforcing the rule, only for Utah’s Attorney General to overturn it. This reflects mental models of Utah wanting to act independent from the rest of the US. It also shows that many legislators only want to do the bare minimum when it comes to environmental protection. Rather than appreciate the fact that air quality could be better for Utahns and the world as a whole, Sandall feels like these actions were a waste of time and money.
Elledge, J. (1998, May 18). Pollution problem clouded by growing population. BYU Daily Universe. https://universe.byu.edu/1998/05/18/pollution-problem-clouded-by-growing-population/
This source details how in 1998, Utah ranked as the United State’s worst state for toxic air pollutants, waste and water consumption. This was used in our timeline to showcase how harmful the Magnesium Corporation of America (Now US Magnesium LLC) was towards Utah’s air pollution.
Fry, M., Nicholas S., Rock, J., (2024), Horizontal & Vertical Integration: Environmental Justice Coalition and Committee, Community Voices, #13, https://www.partners.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/68/2024/06/2024-Community-Voices-WEB.pdf
University Neighborhood Partners bridges connections between the University of Utah and the west side of Salt Lake County. It will now add an Environmental Justice Coalition to its Health and Wellbeing Partnership Area. This was used in our stakeholder map and in our existing interventions map.
Higgins, S. (2024, November 11). Will John Curtis’ climate ideas take a back seat to Trump, Senate GOP priorities? KUER. https://www.kuer.org/politics-government/2024-11-11/will-john-curtis-climate-ideas-take-a-back-seat-to-trump-senate-gop-priorities
With John Curtis’ new election to the Senate (replacing Mitt Romney), he might experience more traction to expand his “conservative” climate ideals to other Senate members, due to the Senate historically being more moderate. Curtis’ creation of the Conservative Climate Summit and the Conservative Climate Caucus show a rise of Republican policymakers getting interested in climate work while still upholding American dominance and capitalism first. However, its very existence could act as an existing intervention against America’s political gridlock for climate change work. This proves monumental with upcoming Republican control of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches in 2025.
United States policymakers still face a “very strong headwind” progress on climate work, according to Shawn Teigan of the Utah Foundation. Ultimately, many people do not want to change their behaviors, showcasing the importance of the iceberg model to understand the mental models and structures that lead to this social issue.
Hawley, G. (2024, October 17). Making a lasting impact in West Valley. theU. https://attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/making-a-lasting-impact-in-west-valley/
The University of Utah is building a West Medical Campus and Hospital in West Valley City, in hopes to expand access for under-resourced groups in Utah. Many statistics from this article highlight the healthcare access disparities in Salt Lake Valley, including the fact that only 1 out of 10 hospital beds in Salt Lake Valley are on the west side of I-15. Life expectancy is also 10 years lower on Salt Lake’s west side than it is on its east side, and they have much less access to physicians and other medical personnel.
Hufham, A. (2024, January 29). The feds want cleaner air in Utah, but the state legislature is ready to fight them. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2024/01/29/feds-want-cleaner-air-utah/
Senate Bill 57 was signed into law during Utah’s 2024 Legislative Session, which gives the Utah government the power to refuse to comply with federal regulations. Its sponsor Sen. Scott Sandall stated that the Utah government should use the bill to act against the Environmental Protection Agency’s “good neighbor” rule. The “good neighbor” rule would stop Utah Power plants from releasing ozone-forming nitrogen oxide that travels to other states. Senate Bill 57 can now be used to deny any federal environmental act, especially ones that protect air quality, that the State deems threatening to its corporations.
This article showcases mental models of refusing to see the environment as interconnected across state or country lines. It also shows Utah’s preference of profit and growth over long-term sustainability.
Hufham, A. (2024c, February 13). “The most alarming bill I’ve ever seen”: Proposed mining legislation could greenlight a quarry in SLC’s backyard. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2024/02/13/california-construction-company/
Article details SB 172: Protections Areas Revisions, an unpassed bill that would allow landowners to develop mines and open pits with limited local regulation. This would have allowed the California-owned company Granite Construction to start construction on a mine in Parley’s Canyon. Since this bill faced opposition in the legislature and did not pass, it draws an interesting comparison to other industrial operations in west Salt Lake Valley. Since pollution from a mine in Parley’s Canyon would’ve blown into eastern, more affluent communities, this bill didn’t end up getting passed. However, bills that allowed the Utah Inland Port and the expansion of I-15 were passed by Utah’s government, signaling a prioritization of east Salt Lake Valley among those in power.
Hufham, A. (2025, March 14). Utah’s largest environmental grant ever is on hold amid confusion over Trump’s funding freeze. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2025/03/14/slc-air-quality-cleanup-grant-hold/
After receiving its largest ever grant to clean up Salt Lake City’s air in 2024, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality is pausing its use of that grant money with President Donald Trump’s ongoing funding freeze. The grant was allocated to move away from burning diesel by finding cleaner electric alternatives. Trump’s grant freezing has led to confusion about when promised money will be given to the state, even though this Utah grant hasn’t formally been frozen. Utah’s DEQ reached out to the Environmental Protection Agency before spending any more money, but the future of this and many other grant remains unclear.
Larsen, L., (2025, May 6). The Great Salt Lake is drying. Has Utah lost the will to save it? The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2025/05/05/great-salt-lake-is-drying-can-utah/
This article discusses the stagnation of Utah’s political leaders to act to save the Great Salt Lake. In 2022, when the lake reached its lowest levels, lawmakers acted quickly, but now little is being done, with the lake still near these concerning levels. Legislators are reluctant to constrain the industries that use the most water, especially real estate and agriculture. Additionally, many Utah farmers lack trust in the government and its new policies to conserve water. This journalism piece was used to highlight the challenges that come from stopping a huge contributor to Utah’s horrible air pollution.
Lavelle, M., & Aldhous, P. (2025, May 1). EPA funding cuts target disadvantaged communities, analysis shows. Inside Climate News. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/01052025/trump-epa-funding-cuts-target-disadvantaged-communities/
This journal article discusses the outcomes of the Environmental Justice Agency, under Trump-appointed administrator Lee Zeldin, canceling all environmental justice-related grants on April 23, 2025. The Inside Climate News analysis was conducted by using R code on a USAspending database. The analysis found that over 384 primary grants worth $2.4 billion are being cut. Much of this funding focused on generating access to clean air, water and land for poor and minority communities nationwide. This article shows how the EPA canceling all programs that have “environmental justice” in the name can prove harmful for all communities, because many of these grants address fundamental issues of air quality.
McCall, Pamela. (2024, August 26). What does renting look like in Utah? Here’s what an expert told us. KUER90.1 https://www.kuer.org/business-economy/2024-08-26/what-does-renting-look-like-in-utah-heres-what-an-expert-told-us
Most land in Utah is zoned for only single-family use, which proves harmful for those in need of cheaper options. Utah does not have many land rights, which makes evictions a simple process for the landlords. According to Andra Ghent, Utah is the 8th highest housing cost state.
McLean, D. (2023). Tackling Salt Lake City’s affordable housing crisis with empathy and accountability. Smart Cities Dive, https://ezproxy.uvu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/tackling-salt-lake-city-s-affordable-housing/docview/2792715349/se-2
Gentrification has risen in the last few years due to unaffordability in Salt Lake Valley. Most displaced people move west to West Valley City or Tooele. Salt Lake City’s average monthly rent prices have increased by $300 in the last five years, which contributes to overall poverty and housing instability. Many established residents in Utah oppose building new homes close to their existing homes, exhibiting NIMBYism (Not-in-my-backyard). This mental model has partly contributed to Utah’s overall unaffordability today. Many state policymakers view Salt Lake City as “too progressive”, which leads to stagnation and a lack of collaboration. This article was used to examine stakeholders and existing interventions for this social issue, including Tony Miller and the Housing Stability Division at Salt Lake City Corporation.
Moench, B. (2023, March 23). Brian Moench: Your job is to tell the EPA to do its job. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2023/03/23/brian-moench-your-job-is-tell-epa/
EPA revised the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) on February 7, 2024 for particulate matter (PM2.5). The primary annual PM2.5 was lowered from 12.0 micrograms per cubic meter to 9.0 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3). They did not update the 24-hour standard for PM2.5 or any standards for PM10 (particulate matter 10). The 24-hour standard is consistently violated by Utah, and to this day has not been updated since 2006. The Clean Air Act mandates that the EPA revises these standards every 5 years, which it has failed to do so. Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment suggest that the 24-hour standard for PM2.5 should be lowered to 20 µg/m3, and that the average annual should be 8.0 µg/m3. This article aided us because it shows that air quality standards set by the EPA are actually not safe for human health. They are mostly guided by what’s economically feasible. However, many Utah lawmakers call the EPA standards unreachable and unnecessary. These gridlocks create barriers for making the air quality standards lower and safer.
Musumeci, M., Leiser, E., Zaman, H., & Rosenbaum, S. (2024, October 31). How a Supreme Court decision is changing the way federal laws are interpreted. Supreme Court Decision Changes Way Federal Laws Are Interpreted | Commonwealth Fund. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2024/how-supreme-court-decision-changing-way-federal-laws-are-interpreted
The Supreme Court’s Loper Bright v. Raimondo case overturned a 40-year-old precedent set by Chevron U.S.A. v. Natural Resources Defense Council. Under the Chevron Deference, courts used to turn to specialized agencies to interpret confusing laws or policies. Now, courts whose members are not trained in the environment or public health make decisions about the environment and public health. Not having to defer to agencies increases the risk that the courts may make wrong decisions in the future.
O’Donoghue, A. J. (2024, July 2). Ozone Drift to other states and the “good neighbor” rule. Deseret News. https://www.deseret.com/utah/2024/07/02/good-neighbor-emissions-rule-supreme-court/
States no longer have to worry about whether their sources of pollution are harming other states, due to the Supreme Court opposing the EPA’s “good neighbor rule.” Spencer Cox approves this decision, calling the rule “federal overreach.” This article shows the multiple stakeholders involved when shaping pollution regulation policy, and how Utah consistently stands against federal regulations.
O’Donoghue, A. J. (2023, December 19). Report shows how mining, energy infuses state’s economy with billions. Deseret News. https://www.deseret.com/utah/2022/12/21/23520942/how-much-money-does-utah-get-from-mining-new-report/
Utah’s mining and energy industries contribute 10% of Utah’s Gross Domestic Product and 6% of its total jobs. Some mining companies on the shores of the Great Salt Lake are looking towards mining lithium, which could be used to power electric vehicles. However, regulatory measures make this situation complicated.
Samiya A Bashir. (10 October 2011). Home is where the harm is: Inadequate housing as a public health crisis. https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.92.5.733
This study shares that the urban environment does not encourage community but rather isolation. The reality of this article is that there is a correlation between inadequate housing and poor health that is increasing. Home is our safe space and in particular urban areas this is not necessarily true. They are usually crowded, trying to seek safety and security within their homes. Health issues such as stunted growth, malnutrition, asthma, and neurological damage are demonstrated in these types of situations. Through these studies it has been found that because of the economic status it leads to those who can’t afford luxury to feel more drawn to existing through virtual living.
Sauvage, M. de. (2024, October 3). Voices: I work with Utah’s immigrant Latino population. anti-dei laws will have adverse effects on their health. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2024/10/03/voices-anti-dei-laws-will-hurt/
Utah’s HB261 makes it harder for students of underrepresented groups to succeed in college, which contributes to the negative feedback loop of lack of equitable medical coverage in Utah. Hispanic and Latino physicians are underrepresented in Utah’s medical field, and without advocacy for these groups in medical settings, less pathways for these groups to get an education in healthcare will exist. This leads to a lack of distrust in the medical system, which contributes to larger feedback loops that lead to the crux of this social issue.
A positive feedback loop can be created if HB261 gets overturned in the next legislative session. With students from underrepresented groups getting more support in education, they are more likely to graduate and become medical professionals. A more diverse medical workforce leads to improved patient outcomes and to a self-reinforcing process of younger individuals getting inspired to join the medical field. This rising generation increases diversity even more, which leads to better patient outcomes and better treatment for decades to come.
Seeley, A. (2023, October 10). Will Salt Lake Heal its Historic East-West Divide, or Exacerbate it? Building Salt Lake. https://buildingsaltlake.com/will-salt-lake-heal-its-historic-east-west-divide-or-exacerbate-it/
This article details an existing intervention from the U.S. Department of Transportation: The Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) pilot program. Salt Lake City got almost $2 million for the study: “Planning Critical Connections: Healing Salt Lake City’s East-West Divide.” This article describes the contributing factors this dived, including the transcontinental railroad in the 1870s, redlining in the 1940s and 50s, and highway construction, which began in the 1970s. West side residents lack trust in the local government, especially after feeling unheard during major transportation decisions. This article showcases the difference in funding between bridging this divide ($2 million) vs worsening this divide ($3.7 billion alone to widen the highway). Utah policymakers prioritize highway expansion over sustainable communities.
Stefanich, L. (2022, November 18). Nodding to the past, looking to the future. Utah’s Kennecott again mining copper underground. KSLTV. https://ksltv.com/507105/nodding-to-the-past-looking-to-the-future-utahs-kennecott-again-mining-copper-underground/
Kennecott mine (owned by Rio Tinto) recently invested $55 to expand its underground mining of copper with electric vehicles. Underground mining may decrease the mine’s environmental footprint, but it does cause dust emissions. These dust emissions contribute to faster rates of snowmelt on Utah’s mountains, which is Utah’s main watershed. This could damage Utah residents' water access in the future, and lead to less water ending up to the Great Salt Lake. Rio Tinto Kennecott makes good choices by investing in zero-emission mining equipment, but there are still gaps in the system where the mine still stands in the way of Utah’s sustainability.
Stowe, J. (2023, January 20). Supporting student success - @theu. theU. https://attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/supporting-student-success/
University of Utah’s West Valley College2Career initiative creates a pipeline for community-based degree opportunities for residents in west Salt Lake Valley. The University of Utah is very committed in doing outreach for west Salt Lake Valley, both educationally and medically, even if it did take some time. These commitments show an existing intervention, and how our attention needs to focus on the root causes of high concentrations of air pollution for marginalized communities in west Salt Lake Valley.
The Deseret News. (1967, November 2). Sewage Fouls Utah Lake. Google News Archive Search. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=D44xAAAAIBAJ&pg=7039%2C597545
This newspaper details how sewage was dumped into Utah Lake by its citizens as late as 1967. This newspaper details that the lake can only be protected if the “voting public” pressures the city, county, and state health departments. At the time, none of them were taking responsibility for implementing infrastructure that keeps the lake clean. Many communities noted this environmental injustice by questioning the government's decisions to invest in recreation for the lake while not protecting it from sewage pollution.
This article shows that those who advocated the most for Utah Lake had the least amount of power. The local, county, and state governments blamed the other for not acting, while not acting themselves. This contributes to our mental model of ‘bystander effect’ not acting to save vulnerable populations when many other visible people also have the power to do so.
Vandenack, T. (2024a, July 7). New West Valley City Health Clinic puts focus on Latinos, immigrants, the uninsured. Deseret News. https://www.deseret.com/utah/2024/07/06/health-clinic-puts-focus-on-latinos/
Vamos Health, a private, for-profit medical clinic provides medical care for west Salt Lake’s Latine population, especially for those who may not have health insurance. The goal of the clinic is to test and diagnose patients before chronic conditions develop. This organization is one of our leading existing interventions in expanding medical coverage, although the scope of what they can do may be limited due to them just starting out.
Vandenack, T. (2024, October 15). Miller Family Foundation launches grant program with $500K to aid Salt Lake City’s West Side. Deseret News. https://www.deseret.com/utah/2024/10/15/miller-family-foundation-launches-program-to-aid-slc-west-side/
The Larry H. Miller Family Foundation created the Westside Community Grant, which aids nonprofit groups West of I-15. Lately, the area has been attacked by developers building apartment buildings that cause gentrification. The grant was created to conserve the west side’s “distinctive character”. However, the Miller Family Foundation donated $3.5 billion to enhance Rocky Mountain Power’s Power District Development, which may house an MLB baseball stadium in SLC. Further research needs to be done whether the Power District Development will contribute to gentrification and high pollution. This article will be used to showcase philanthropy work directly for Salt Lake’s west side.
Verhamme, E. (2024, May 23). In coal-obsessed Utah, a proposal to extend the life of an uneconomic and Polluting Coal Plant • Utah News Dispatch. Utah News Dispatch. https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2024/05/23/utah-proposal-to-extend-life-of-coal-plant/
The Utah Legislature keeps drafting bills to extend the lives of coal-generated power plants across the state, even when it costs more money to keep them open. This article identified several stakeholders, including the Utah Sierra Club, WildEarth Guardians, and Deseret Power.
Walston, S. (2024, January 31). Opinion: Why do health care giants prosper while Americans are burdened by medical debt?. Deseret News. https://www.deseret.com/opinion/2023/12/18/24001611/health-care-profits-compared-to-medical-debt/
A major factor for the high cost of healthcare in Utah is the dominance of only a few huge corporations. In Utah, only a small number of doctors, hospitals, and health insurance companies exist. The top four systems, Intermountain Health, Holy Cross, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) and the University of Utah, control 97% of all gross revenues of acute care. 9 out of the top 10 highest-paid nonprofit employees in Utah come from Intermountain Health, each of them making millions annually. Medical debt has increased in Utah and in the United States, leading people to put off important care.
The industry of healthcare contributes to this social issue of people not getting the care or treatment they need for the chronic conditions developed from the environment.
Wigod, L. (2024, August 26). Daniel Mendoza: Turning science into action - @theu. theU. https://attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/daniel-mendoza-turning-science-into-action/
Daniel Mendoza, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Utah is trying to have his research noticed by policymakers and legislators. In the summer, Salt Lake City usually doesn’t meet federal standards for ozone levels, which causes very hot and unsafe temperatures. Mendoza applies his research to the community by doing outreach to the west side. He tries to make greener solutions more accessible for frontline communities.
Podcasts/Audiovisual Media
Bird, B., Cromar, K., Kerr, G., & Cheeseman, M. (2023, October 30). HAQAST Utah: Session 7-Closing Remarks, Measurement to Action: Translating Data to Decision-Making. The Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5mcFcSMUG0&t=1426s
Due to the constraints in the Clean Air Act, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality has to focus on the same pollution sources over and over again. What the Utah DEQ could easily regulate has already been regulated, and they face struggles or pushback to act on sources with broader impacts. About 90% of ozone pollutants in Utah come from non-local sources, and the DEQ can only effectively regulate about 20% of that remaining 10%. This source shows the limited power and capabilities of Utah DEQ, and how since much of Utah’s ozone pollution builds up naturally due to our topography, increased medical coverage may prove more effective for the foreseeable future.
Cabrera, A., & Miller, S. (2024, April 16). Breathing Salt Lake’s West Side Air. RadioWest. https://radiowest.kuer.org/show/radiowest/2024-04-16/breathing-salt-lakes-west-side-air
This podcast goes over the journalistic work that Alixel Cabrera and Saige Miller did for the Salt Lake Tribune, KUER, and Columbia University. They went out and interviewed many different families and people who feel the effects of air pollution in Salt Lake’s west side. There is a significant lack of trust for elected officials, due to the lack of policy that fights for environmental justice. These communities are building things on their own, but it's a lot of hard work. Most don’t have the privilege of time to put in all that energy, especially with multiple jobs and kids. Some potential levers of change could come from the community-identified potential solutions: increased public transportation, better investment in their zones (better homes, grocery stores, healthcare, etc.), and more transparency from public officials.
FOX 13 News Utah. (2024, February 17). What is being done to make housing more affordable in Utah?. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSa1wcJNVy8
Clark Ivory, CEO of Ivory Homes (Utah’s leading homebuilding company) calls for regulatory reform from cities that allow for more neighborhood density. The Wasatch Front has very little land left to continue building larger homes. However, many Utahns dislike dense housing, reflecting mental models of following the “American Dream,” even if it's unattainable by large numbers of people.
Gonzalez, M., & Juarez, O. (Hosts) (2024-Present) Stay Salty: Lake Facing Stories [Audio podcast] Of Salt and Sand. https://www.lakefacing.org/podcast
The Stay Salty Podcast highlights community members most directly affected by the drying Great Salt Lake. Many environmental activists talk about how growing up in Utah, none of them were taught to care for or have a connection with the Great Salt Lake. However, many of them felt a connection to the lake after they found out it was drying up. One of the main questions throughout each episode is “Do you want to leave?” This question highlights how many people in Utah don’t have the privilege or ability to leave Utah if the lake does try and cause a public health and economic crisis. Environmental justice has many intersections with disability justice. This source gave us many quotes of people with deep, lived experience with the Great Salt Lake issue.
Matagi, O., Tupola, O., Raphael, K., & Su’a, J. (2024, November 4). UPIHC Live Facebook Webinar: NHPI G.O.T.V & Health Policy: Utah Pacific Islander Health Coalition - UPIHC 13th Annual Pacific Islander Health Week presents a live FB Webinar on “NHPI GOTV & health policy.”...: By Ofa. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/utahlaw801/videos/437287879394198
This webinar highlights the fact that Utah’s Pacific Islander community was historically been grouped together with Utah’s Asian population in the census. This leads to inaccuracies when measuring healthcare disparities. The participants talked about working together as a collective, rather than in silos. Even though all the participants come from different backgrounds and work in different fields (medical doctor, community health advocate, policy advocate, etc.), they all have the same goals. They can only achieve these goals together.
Marlen, O., Daniel, M., Pavlantos, T., & Valdez, C. (2021, September 29). AWAiRE - What’s Beneath the Clouds. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMbG2EvjAz0&t=429s
This film documents the lived experience of several stakeholders in Utah’s fight against air pollution. Salt Lake Valley’s unique bowl shape provides no ventilation when polluters build up, causing horrible bad air quality days. During these days, schools on the west side of the valley have double or triple the rate of school absenteeism than schools on the east side. This pattern highlights many of the disparities that exist between the east and west side, and help guide us in our stakeholder journey in our final visuals.
Mishka, B. (2020, July 31). Mishka Banuri: A first generation immigrant’s perspective on Youth Climate Justice. Mishka Banuri: A First Generation Immigrant’s Perspective on Youth Climate Justice. https://bioneers.org/mishka-banuri-first-generation-immigrant-youth-climate-justice-zstf1911/
Young climate activist Banuri Mishka discusses the challenges she feels as an immigrant and Muslim in Utah, and in fighting for climate activism. America’s history of imperialism and colonization has manifested itself in different forms and continues today, especially in its treatment of Middle Eastern countries. Combating these mental models of extraction and doing things that only benefit oneself needs to happen to make these worldwide systems healthier and more sustainable for all.
Nagra, R. S., Gonzalez, M., Juarez, O., & Mendoza, D. (2023, September 14). Environmental Justice in Salt Lake City. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulNlu5bUd6U
Utah is spending millions and billions of dollars to favor cars highways when that money could be used to build frontline communities and expand access to recreational areas. Many community members are tired of the vast amounts of studies and research being done by universities and state and federal agencies about issues that directly affect them. They prefer more actionable community-driven outcomes rather than inaccessible academic research. Many grassroots communities are educating each other on the legal process so they know how to efficiently intervene and advocate for themselves. The Great Salt Lake doesn’t get valued as other wildlife in Utah. Non-white cultures and ethnicities are sufficiently underrepresented in Utah and US public lands, which leads to cultural erasure or suppression.
RadioWest films on PBS Utah: Another body: PBS Utah. PBS Utah Video. (2023, December 19). https://video.pbsutah.org/video/another-body-kqjyx8/
Details the experience of a woman who had a miscarriage while living on Salt Lake’s west side. When the air is bad, she can taste the bad air, bringing a pressure on her lungs and chest. When she first moved to Rose Park, she didn’t think about air quality at all. After having a miscarriage, the University of Utah reached out to her, because they were conducting a study to see if poor air quality contributed to miscarriages. Even though living in Rose Park caused many health risks, she loves her community and couldn’t imagine leaving.
Gray Literature
Jones, Emma Nathel, "Environmental Racism in a Growing City: Investigating Demographic Shifts in Salt Lake City's Polluted Neighborhoods" (2021). Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects. 699. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/honors/699
This study shows how historically redlined communities in Salt Lake still contain higher rates of Latinx populations and higher rates of pollution. Latinx and other minority groups first moved to Utah from the 1880s-1920s because of work opportunities, such as the expansion of the railroad. This minority group lived in more affordable housing on the west side of Salt Lake City. Redlining in the 1930s and 1940s barred Latinx people from moving outside of their “zones”, much of which exists around present-day Pioneer Park. The influence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) on city planning and politics during this time designed systems that favored LDS members. Affluent, white LDS members separated themselves from other populations on the East side of the valley, and they were usually the first to receive amenities, such as new roads. This source will be used to showcase the power the LDS church had in the early sustainable development of Utah, and how that resulted in non-members of the church getting unequal treatment and access.
Salt Lake City Transportation. (2022). Critical Connections: Healing Salt Lake City’s east-west divide. Salt Lake City Transportation. https://www.slc.gov/transportation/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2022/10/SaltLakeCity_ReconnectingCommunities_Oct2022_AsSubmitted.pdf
This report details the history of Salt Lake City’s east-west divide, and brainstorms solutions to connect Westside residents to east Salt Lake City’s resources. This report explains Salt Lake City’s transportation study’s plans, funded by the US Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program. This report was used to detail existing interventions on this social issue and provides lived experience narratives from westside residents.
Interviews
Anonymous (2024, November) Personal Interview
This environmental justice advocate does not see Utah as a viable place for their organization to grow, especially because of the Republican-led Chamber of Commerce. Most of what they focus on has to be in a “defensive posture.” Grants for nonprofit organizations are specifically restricted (including ones from the EPA). Marginalized groups had less social power to act on public health justice because of environmental degradation and redlining. Additionally, most philanthropic donations don’t go to frontline community members. This is a prevalent problem all throughout the United States.
Bateman, S. (2024, November) Personal Interview
The disparities between east and west Salt Lake Valley are so obvious. The United States is very individualistic, and many subnational groups make different national goals. Governor Cox is very focused on an “all-of-the-above” energy approach. When working with policymakers, identify what issues they do not budge on. Pushing on issues that they won’t change their minds about hurts the activists’ political capital. Instead, focus on the politicians’ values. For conservative Utahns, many of their values focus on fiscal policy. This mindset involves not spending too much money and being efficient with that money. This way of thinking could be applied to natural resources: don’t take too much and don’t use them ineffectively. This interview highlighted the importance of engaging with policymakers, even when you might not agree with them.
Clawson, T. (2024, December) Personal Interview
Pacific Islanders had the highest rates of hospital admissions during the Covid-19 epidemic. The hardest thing advocating for the community is hearing the alarming data and the saddening stories. Colonization, death, and other forms of trauma are hitting the community hard, making it harder to think ahead. The Utah Department of Health will only give nonprofits money after they complete the task the department wants them to do. This makes it really hard for these frontline communities to get money to complete their initiatives. Many times, meeting with the community feels like a checklist for the medical professionals. There needs to be more collaboration between all stakeholders in the system.
Contreras, J. (2024, November) Personal Interview
Particulate matter has a half life of 4.5 hours. During Utah’s winter inversions, this air pollutant constantly replaces itself. This means that it takes a Utah resident 15 days to get their lungs cleared after a bad air day. This interviewee believes that this country needs a more comprehensive public health education system. That way, residents have the skills and knowledge to make informed decisions.
Cromar, K. (2024, November) Personal Interview
In this interviewee perspective, one makes a positive change for public health through attending governmental meetings. The Air Quality Board meets monthly, talking about transportation and metropolitan planning issues. Change also happened by engaging with the community, being prepared that they might not want the outcomes you want. Utah doesn’t have a strong emphasis on identifying and addressing problems. This interview showed how inaccessible it is to engage with big policymakers, because it involves much time and personal research. Many individuals who are already stretched thin with multiple jobs or with running another environmental program might not have the time to do as in depth research.
Hungerford, H. (2024, December) Personal Communication
Due to a lack of green spaces, urban heat has been hitting marginalized communities hard all over the globe. The Utah legislature is hesitant to address air quality, because it is such a systemic issue. It involves- a lot of time and money to fix. It also may involve stepping away from Utah’s car culture. However, since Utah’s brand is so centered on the outdoors, advocates can use that mindset to incentivize policymakers to act faster.
Fitisemanu, J. (2024, November) Personal Interview
In this interview, this member-elect of the Utah House of Representatives discussed how he works with his community on environmental justice and public health issues. Folks on the west side of Salt Lake Valley have different priorities in regards to everyday basic needs. They face more challenges getting access to clean and healthy water and food. Their most immediate needs must come first before any type of environmental measure. As a public health professional, the interviewee discussed how much of public health centers on primary and secondary prevention. However, with air pollution, someone cannot be preventative or control the outcome. As a community, the west side is only reacting to the harmful air. Communities on the east side of the valley live 10 years longer than residents in Glendale, Manga, Rose Park, etc. Additionally, these westside residents have to drive outside of their city to get care. This interviewee also talked about how Pacific Islanders have the highest rates of diabetes, which brings many academic researchers in. Too often, these academic institutions do not compensate the frontline communities for the research, going on to publish the findings behind an academic paywall. This interview showed us many gaps in the system, including a lack of accessible research, a lack of transparency from policymakers, a lack of healthy food, and a corporate-centered healthcare system.
Matagi, O. (2024, December). Personal Interview
Air quality is one of the lowest priorities, because so many other pressing needs need to be addressed for Utah’s west side. Lessening harm involves centering frontline community stories and their needs, providing wraparound services that extend further than just one need. Policymakers need to connect with community champions more to make sustainable change. Environmental justice is a very novel concept that is new to many ethnic and racial communities. Therefore, people need to consider how to effectively share important information. They also need to constantly check back with the community to ensure that their needs are met. This interview highlighted many stakeholder relationships and existing interventions that exist in our system, such as University Neighborhood Partners (with an Environmental Justice Resident Committee), the Utah Pacific Islander Health Coalition, Rocky Mountain Power, Utah Clean Energy, and more.
Mulitalo, K. (2024, November). Personal Interview
The Utah Pacific Islander Health Coalition works on access for primary care due to high rates of diabetes morbidity in their community. There is also a high rate of asthma, which could be tied to where they live (west Salt Lake Valley). Many treatments for these issues are very expensive, especially without health insurance. This interview highlighted many of the health disparities that Utah’s growing Pacific Islander population faces.
Pennell, C. (2024, November). Personal Interview
The Environmental Protection Agency gives out community grants. Right now, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality is working on 3 grants gifted by the EPA. The DEQ has partnered with the Westside Coalition, Heal Utah, Breath Utah, and other organizations, assisting the researchers with the stakeholder map. The state of Utah is “standoff-ish” on environmental justice issues. Utah’s DEQ focuses on the “low-hanging fruit” of regulations first. In other words, regulations that can be easily implemented. The remaining regulations they want to make get a lot of pushback from industry. Industry sees some environmental regulations as a million-dollar investment for only a tiny reduction in emissions. Utah’s DEQ also has to report to the Federalism Commission, showing the patterns of Utah policymakers wanting federal lands and regulations brought to the state level. Overall, this interview showcased many of the gridlocks that happen in Utah’s political system in regards to air quality.
Ou, J. (2024, November). Personal Interview
This individual works as an epidemiologist at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, and they discussed the complexities of air pollution in Utah. They see environmental justice issues as a battle between capitalism and human health, or a battle between extraction and community. Utah’s Constitution supports gas and oil extraction, and too often, capitalism wins this war. I-15 divided Salt Lake’s “industrial” side from its residential side. The Clean Air Act outlined 6 pollutants to set guidelines for, but all other types of harmful chemicals get no regulation. The interviewee expressed worry over the US Supreme Court’s recent overturning of the Chevron Deference. Now, public health law can only get interpreted by judges that don’t understand the scientific implications. Many white people think they are immune to air quality (known as the “white manufect”). The interviewee brought up the ethical crisis of someone selling their home when they know its air quality is bad. Overall, many environmental burdens are placed on the individual, not on the corporations.