Utah celebrates 11 years of governor’s idle-free declaration
(KUTV) -- September marks the 11th year of the Idle Free Governor’s Declaration in Utah.
Utah was the first state to sponsor an idle-free campaign in the nation to bring awareness to the fact that idling vehicles emit particulate matter and other pollutants that are known to cause serious health problems.
Vehicle exhaust makes up about half of the air pollution in Utah, and unnecessary idling contributes a significant amount of emissions into the air shed each day, a press release stated.
“Turning the car off and being idle free is the first and most basic action a person can take to reduce pollution,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski, in a prepared statement. “That’s why Salt Lake City is proud to be among the first communities to sign the Idle-Free Declaration and then to pass an ordinance. Fast forward 11 years, and I’m thrilled to be joined by so many other cities standing up for clean air. Together, we are reaffirming that healthy communities and ‘being idle-free’ are core values we uphold and support.”
The campaign has grown with this year marking a historic high with 71 mayors signing the declaration, along with Gov. Gary Herbert, in support of Idle Free Awareness Month and Idle Free Utah 2018-2019.
Last year, Salt Lake City joined six other Utah cities by adopting idle-free ordinances: Park City, Salt Lake City, Alta, Holladay, Logan and Murray. This year, Sandy City and Cottonwood Heights have also enacted similar ordinances.
