Opinion: By fast-tracking mining operations, Utah puts health at risk [Video]

Utah is on the brink of a transformative opportunity to expand its renewable energy capacity, clean up its air and climate and enhance its overall quality of life. As a state, we have an abundance of renewable energy potential, including solar, wind and geothermal resources, that can be paired with storage technologies like batteries to provide adequate, affordable, reliable and sustainable energy to power our growth.

With a projected $5.3 billion in direct and indirect benefits from renewable energy projects between 2007 and 2023, Utah has the potential to serve as a model for renewable energy buildout in a conservative state.

But the elephant in the room remains: mining. The International Energy Agency forecasts a fourfold increase in mineral demand by 2040 as the world tries to meet essential climate targets. While the Governor’s 2022 Energy Planemphasizes support for a “clean energy future through … responsible mining,” legislative proposals in the Utah State Legislature …