Gary Herbert Hates Panguitch, Bryce Country, Tourism

Utah is a Pretty, Amazing State. One of my favorite places in the state is Bryce Canyon National Park. Not only is it beautiful, but the air both there and in surrounding communities is clean and wonderful.

And, that is why I am troubled by the decision to build a strip coal mine (Utah's First) just 10 miles from the park.

And, Acting Governor Herbert greased the wheels for it to happen.

300-400 large coal trucks per day will travel
this road thanks to Gary Herbert
(Photo credit: Tricia Simpson)

Yes, up to 150 jobs will be created. But, how many jobs will be lost in the tourism industry as people stop coming? After all, the strip mine comes with 3-400 truck trips per day. And those truck trips come with noise pollution and increased air pollution from their emissions. Not to mention the emissions and dust from the strip mining operations to begin with.

Not only will the state and county and city all lose tax revenues from the loss of tourism dollars, but there will be increased costs to all for repairs that will need to be made to US89 in the area.

After all, heavy trucks cause more damage to roadways than smaller cars and trucks.

There was an excellent Opinion piece published over the weekend by the Tribune regarding this issue. It was written by Bobbi Bryant, a business owner in Panguitch.

An excellent read is a column by the Tribune's Peg McEntee back in June.

Just another in a series of reckless decisions by Gary Herbert in his 14 months in a leadership position.