Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R) on March 13, 2024, signed a bill into law requiring the Utah Division of Air Quality to regularly discuss emissions-related regulations with the state’s Federalism Commission. The bill also includes requirements to discuss regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal rules affecting industries.
The Utah Department of Environmental Quality supported the bill, arguing that it “provides a forum … to exchange information with policy makers and have critical discussions about how we address environmental challenges Utah faces,” according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
Ashley Miller, the executive director of the nonprofit organization Breathe Utah, opposed the bill and the state’s efforts to challenge federal environmental regulations, arguing, “If we start to scale back progress now, everyday Utahns will be the ones to suffer the consequences,” according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
The bill will go into effect on May 1, 2024.
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