Hello John,

Piper here, Stewardship Utah’s Climate and Air Quality Policy Associate. With week three coming to a close, the session is in full gear now, and I wanted to update you all on some exciting bills we’ve been working on! 

View of Salt Lake City from the Capitol during an inversion.

We’re working on a suite of bills which, if passed, would make this the most impactful legislative session for improving air quality in recent memory. We’re making some exciting progress, and none of this would be possible without our legislative champions, who are doing a fantastic job. I’ll be highlighting and linking these bills so that those interested can track them as they move through the process. 

HB 420 Halogen Emissions Amendments (Representative Stoddard and Senator Cullimore)

In 2023, the Utah Legislature passed H.B. 220, directing the Utah Division of Air Quality (DAQ) to track halogen emissions and develop an emissions reduction plan and state standard for these pollutants. Chlorine and bromine are two halogens of particular concern because their interacting chemistry worsens wintertime inversions on the Wasatch Front by 10-25%. This bill would implement a technology at US Magnesium that will reduce chlorine and bromine emissions on the Wasatch Front by 75%. This bill is currently awaiting committee assignment.

Clean Truck Amendments (Representative Clancy and Senator Cullimore)

This bill, starting in 2028, prohibits in the four Wasatch Front counties the registration of heavy-duty vehicles built before 2010, and provides a tax credit to upgrade those vehicles. Heavy-duty vehicles built before 2010 emit 20 times as much Nitrogen Oxide (NOX) pollution (which contributes to our ground level ozone) as vehicles built from 2010 on because of a significant upgrade in EPA standards.

If this bill took effect, for a typical winter day in Salt Lake County, it would reduce NOX vehicle emissions by 18%. We estimate that this policy would roughly reduce total NOX emissions by 10% on the Wasatch Front. This bill is awaiting numbering and public release, which should occur within the next week.

SB 124 Landscaping Procurement Amendments (Senator Pitcher and Representative Loubet)

This bill proposes a phase-out of gas-powered landscaping equipment and upgrade to electric, zero emission equipment on state property along the Wasatch Front. We are addressing lawn equipment because they emit 30% more Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) than all industrial activity on the Wasatch Front due to their poorly regulated, inefficient engines. For example, one hour of operating a residential gas-powered leaf blower = driving 727 miles which is the equivalent of driving from Ogden to Disneyland!

SB 222 vehicle Emission Inspection Program Revisions (Senator Pitcher)

The Division of Motor Vehicles estimates that roughly 4,500 vehicles are registered outside the Wasatch Front to avoid emissions regulations. When emissions controls in vehicles are disabled, NOX emissions can increase by up to 310 times and particulate matter (PM) emissions can increase by up to 40 times. This bill allows the DMV to revoke a vehicle owner’s registration if they provided a false or improper address to register a vehicle to avoid an emissions test, and prohibits the registration of the vehicle until the owner has paid a civil penalty. This bill has been numbered and is awaiting being assigned to committee.

SB 184 Diesel Emission Reduction Amendments (Senator Escamilla)

This bill directed the Division of Air Quality to establish a voluntary registry for certain non-road diesel engines in designated counties along the Wasatch Front.

Registered vehicles will qualify for replacement incentives and other cost-reducing programs. This was intended to gather better data on the emissions from Kennecott Copper’s mining trucks, which are responsible for 52.8% of NOx emissions from Point Sources (think refineries, factories, smoke stacks, etc) on the Wasatch Front. Senator Escamilla pulled this bill in committee so that it could be further worked on in the interim.

As we move through the legislative session, we know that your inbox is flooded with emails calling you to action. Often, we ask that you reach out to your elected representatives. We believe that contacting your legislators is effective and relevant, a powerful tool that still influences Utah policy, no matter the national rhetoric. The issues you want to discuss are the ones that should be important to the person representing you, and we encourage you to say so. If you have questions about the process, please let us know. Make yourself known, advocate for your community, and know we are here as a resource for your civic engagement questions.

Onwards,

Piper Christian,

Air Quality & Climate Policy Associate

[email protected]

www.stewardshiputah.org