Climate, environmental experts discuss how Utah Valley can deal with rapid growth
The Utah Valley Earth Forum hosted a public forum on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019, at the Orem City Library to discuss how Utah Valley can adapt to increased development and projected population growth.
The Utah Valley Earth Forum hosted a discussion Wednesday evening that focused on how Utah Valley can deal with rapid population growth and development and minimize the environmental impacts of such growth.
Utah County is one of the fastest growing counties in the entire country. With an estimated 2018 population of 622,213, according to the United States Census Bureau, Utah County has experienced a 20.4% population increase since 2010, when the population was 516,639.
Between 2017 and 2018, the Provo-Orem metropolitan area was ranked 10th in the nation in population growth, estimates from the Census Bureau show.
Wednesday’s discussion featured a panel of environmental, health and economic scholars, including Brian Moench, a Salt Lake City-based anesthesiologist who is president of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, Utah Valley University geography professor Hilary Hungerford, retired University of Utah economics professor Hans Ehrbar, Brigham Young ecosystem ecology professor Ben Abbott, and Shauna Mecham, a planner with Mountainland Association of Governments.
Hungerford shared research from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah that projects Utah County’s population will increase by 177% between 2015 and 2065.
Hungerford said she thinks it is important to “reframe the conversation to see growth as an opportunity” rather than something to fear, adding that it is possible to “think of our communities as systems” that can be resilient to change.
Population growth could lead to greater expendable income, Hungerford said, which in turn go would go towards local businesses.
More housing would lead to a larger tax base that could go towards water resources and infrastructure, she added, and create an opportunity to develop new technologies to increase sustainability.
“I’m really hopeful,” Hungerford said. “And I think it’s a really exciting time to live in Utah Valley.”
Abbot said he felt the same way. He used to envision high density as overpopulation, high crime, lack of green spaces and the disappearance of the night sky.
“My view of that possible future has completely changed,” Abbot said, who now sees population growth as an opportunity for economic development and innovations in environmental sustainability.
Moench said this mindset was “way too upbeat” and spoke about the public health consequences of increased air pollution.
All of the health consequences associated with smoking cigarettes, Moench said, are also consequences of air pollution exposure.
“If we have more population growth, then obviously we’re going to have more air pollution,” Moench said.
Utah County will suffer “collateral damage” from the inland port, a proposed development in northwest Salt Lake that would operate as a cargo shipment center, said Moench.
“You’re looking at thousands more diesel trucks on our roads every single day,” he said.
Ehrbar said population increase could lead to a climate-related food crisis. He referred to a 2014 talk by University of Washington atmospheric science professor David Battisti, who argued that climate change will lead to large-scale crop failure.
Battisti believes such a crisis will occur before the end of the century.
“We are in for very hard times,” Ehrbar said. “Unless we do something radical about carbon emissions.”
The Utah Valley Earth Forum was founded in 2006 and describes itself as a conservation organization aimed at “advancing good stewardship for a healthy environment in Utah Valley and beyond.”
Wednesday’s forum was held at the Orem Public Library.
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