WildEarth Guardians in Court Today Against Salt Lake City's Largest Polluter

Coalition to Present Case that Mining Giant Violated Clean Air Act, Jeopardized Health of Utahns

Salt Lake City—Today, a coalition of public health and environmental groups, including WildEarth Guardians, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, Utah Moms for Clean Air, and the Sierra Club, will be in federal court presenting their case that Kennecott, a subsidiary of multi-national mining company, Rio Tinto, has continuously violated the Clean Air Act for at least the last five years at the company’s Bingham Canyon open pit copper mine.

The hearing will take place at the U.S. District Courthouse at 350 South Main Street.  The hearing will begin at 2:30 P.M. in Room 220 before U.S. District Court Judge, Robert Shelby.

In late 2011, the coalition filed suit against Kennecott for violating federally approved production limits at the Bingham Canyon mine west of Salt Lake City, the largest open pit copper mine in the world.  Kennecott has argued that it was legally allowed to increase production from 150,500,000 tons annually to 260,000,000 tons per year.  However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency never approved this production increase, meaning it is not legally valid.

Since Kennecott increased its production rates contrary to federal rules, Salt Lake City, as well as other Wasatch Front communities, has suffered some of the worst particulate pollution in the region’s history.  Salt Lake City is currently in violation of federal limits on particulate pollution, which were established to protect public health. 

The State and Environmental Protection Agency have both refused to enforce Kennecott’s violations and have even refused to enforce that mandatory deadlines to clean up the region’s particulate pollution. 

The hearing is expected to reveal where Judge Shelby may be leaning.  It is not expected he will issue a ruling that day, but will do so shortly after.  A press release will be distributed the day of the hearing.  Representatives of WildEarth Guardians, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, Utah Moms for Clean Air, and the Sierra Club will be available after the hearing for interview.


 

All active news articles