“Clean, safe drinking water is not something we take for granted — and we will take every step necessary to ensure this resource is considered and protected for residents throughout the valley.”-Erin Mendenhall, Mayor of Salt Lake City.
The path toward the potential construction of the Little Cottonwood Gondola is going to be full of litigation.
Last week, a lawsuit was filed against the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) by the Friends of Alta and others. They believed that UDOT’s analysis didn’t fully comply with the National Environmental Policy Act, and didn’t factor in the impacts to wildlife, and water quality, among other concerns. This week, another lawsuit joined the party.
KSL reports that another joint lawsuit was filed in federal court yesterday. This time around, UDOT is being sued by Salt Lake City, the City of Sandy, and the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake and Sandy.
Their major concern is how the gondola will impact Little Cottonwood Creek, which is a critical water source for Salt Lake Valley. They want further analysis before the gondola can move ahead to construction, as they believe that UDOT’s review didn’t sufficiently cover the guidelines required by the Wilderness Act of 1964, the Transportation Act of 1966, and the Administrative Procedures Act.
Monica Zoltanski, who’s the Mayor of Sandy, said the following in a statement:
“With the addition of a 2,500-stall parking structure at the mouth of the canyon, the influx of additional traffic would have a serious detrimental financial and public safety impact on the most environmentally sensitive area of Sandy…In addition, we have a shared obligation to protect the Little Cottonwood Canyon watershed, which is the primary source of drinking water for Sandy residents.”
The Utah Department of Transportation released the following statement:
I’m not quite sure how something like the enhanced bus service and tolling, which has already been funded by the state government, could be derailed by this situation. Honestly, that response pisses me off, as they’ve had years to prepare for situations like this.
Regardless, it seems like the battle over the Little Cottonwood Gondola isn’t going to end anytime soon.
Image/Video Credits: Gondola Works, Utah Department Of Transportation, KSL
