Brian Maffly
Salt Lake Tribune
Salt Lake City, UT, United States
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Recent articles by Brian:
Iron County growers propose 115 new wells into Escalante Valley groundwater
Businessmen in Enterprise are seeking rights to 50,000 acre-feet of water deep under Utah's Escalante Valley, even though this area's groundwater is already overallocated. → Read More
Why are so many new water wells to be drilled in Bears Ears?
A few dozens wells are to be drilled in Bears Ears National Monument to provide livestock more places to access water. → Read More
Vast reaches of Utah’s West Desert could be leased for geothermal power
The geothermal industry is looking to develop public lands in Utah's West Desert for renewable energy. → Read More
Salt Lake County bans new mines in Wasatch foothills and canyons
In a unanimous vote on Tuesday, the Salt Lake County Council amended the county’s zoning ordinances to ban new mining industries in the Wasatch foothills and canyons, while continuing to allow the existing operations along the base of the mountains. → Read More
Shrinking Lake Powell holds even less water than previously thought, study says
The U.S. Geological Survey determined sediments washing into Utah’s largest reservoir reduce its capacity by 33,270 acre-feet each year on average as the sediment settle on the lakebed. → Read More
For years, UP switching yard is among Utah’s worst point sources of pollution. The Legislature is now doing something about it
Impatient with Union Pacific's failure to upgrade its freight switchers operating in Utah, state lawmakers are pushing a bill requiring these locomotives to be powered with emission-free technology by 2028. → Read More
Why Utah mining officials have shut down the Coal Hollow Mine near Alton
State mining regulators this week shut down a southern Utah coal operation after it blew multiple deadlines to shore up its invalid reclamation bond. → Read More
Bill targeting emissions from old cars amended to promote hydrocarbon highways
On its face, Sen. Wayne Harper’s SB51 is the kind of bill few would oppose. It looks to close a loophole that allows many older cars and trucks to qualify as “vintage” vehicles, exempt from emissions testing requirements. → Read More
Facing $3 million lawsuit, scientist countersues Utah Lake’s would-be dredgers
Ben Abbott, the Utah scientist facing a real estate developers’ $3 million defamation lawsuit, went on offense Tuesday, filing a countersuit alleging the company proposing to dredge Utah Lake is abusing the justice system to intimidate him into silence. → Read More
Granite Construction to operate proposed Parleys Canyon pit, now called I-80 South Quarry
The proponent of a controversial limestone quarry in Parleys Canyon has named Granite Construction as its operator, according to a website launched this week to promote the project that has drawn intense opposition from nearby homeowners, elected officials and environmentalists. → Read More
Utah Wildlife Board bans trail cameras for big game hunting
A divided Utah Wildlife Board voted on Tuesday to ban trail cameras for hunting when the motion-activated devices are used to aid in the taking of big game. → Read More
When deer damage orchards, what does Utah owe fruit growers?
Since wildlife belongs to the people of Utah, taxpayers are ultimately on the hook for the fences big game knock down, the alfalfa they eat and other damages. → Read More
Is Utah’s ski industry ready for omicron?
Alta had several COVID-19 outbreaks last week and is not likely alone in feeling the effects of the resurgent coronavirus epidemic, driven by the new omicron variant. → Read More
Snows (finally) return to Utah ski resorts to the relief of many
Hardly a week ago, northern Utah’s mountains were dry, balmy and brown, a strange feel for December in a place supposedly world famous for its snow. → Read More
EPA faults uranium processor for not keeping Superfund waste covered
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week ordered a halt to deliveries of waste from Superfund sites to White Mesa uranium mill in San Juan County after determining its impoundment had not been operated properly, potentially resulting in excessive radon emissions. → Read More
Will EPA help fund Utah Lake island-building project?
A controversial proposal to dredge Utah Lake is on a wait list it apply for nearly $1 billion in federal water infrastructure funding. → Read More
Can ‘controlled’ burns save Utah’s national forests?
The U.S. Forest Service is looking to dramatically increase its use of “prescribed fire” in Utah’s national forest. The hope is to improve forest health and reduce the risks of destructive wildfire that have arise after decades of fire suppression. → Read More
SL County and City pan UDOT’s Little Cottonwood plan
Salt Lake County Mayor Wilson and County Council Member Jim Bradley both expressed concern over the gondola proposal and called for more planning work to be done. → Read More
Why is Utah poisoning all the fish in Navajo Lake?
Utah wildlife officials plan to poison all the fish in a popular fishing lake to rid it of chub. → Read More
New Utah snail species discovered in the Uintas
Utah state biologists discovered a snail species new to the state in the Uinta Mountains, bring to 125 the number of snails native to Utah. The species is called boreal top snail and is more commonly found in Canada and northern U.S. states. → Read More