Mayor says soils repository is ‘on pause’

Park City's mayor, Andy Beerman. Photo: Park City Govt.

PARK CITY, Utah — Mayor Andy Beerman released a statement today regarding the soils repository proposal following the public hearing about the matter last week.

“It was a work session and a public hearing, so there was not an opportunity for City Council to give formal direction,” the Mayor said. “However, I’ve never known this Council to force an issue against public sentiment, so I think it is safe to say the repository remains ‘on pause’ and City staff will be exploring alternatives before they come back to Council this fall. I expect the City Manager will check in with Council at our next meeting to formally confirm this approach.”

The statement follows a public hearing last week at a City Council meeting in which residents and candidates for the upcoming election lined up to voice their opposition to the project.

Councilman Tim Henney echoed Beerman’s sentiments. He said at best, Park City residents have a relatively neutral opinion about the proposal. He vocalized that there’s clearly a strong coalition against the project. “With that sort of opposition from the community broadly… I can’t vote for that,” Henney said. “Council isn’t going to be able to support it.”

The proposed Gordo Bevill Waste Soil Repository would only be permitted to store material classified as Bevill Waste, Soils classified as toxic or hazardous would not be permitted. Bevill waste is defined as waste from the extraction, beneficiation, and processing of ores and minerals such as silver.

The facility would be built along the S.R. 248-Richardson Flat Road intersection in order to store soils with contaminants such as lead and arsenic.

Park City was founded as a mining town in the 19th century. Contaminants from that time period can still be found in certain city locations today. The project summary states that “Park City is taking responsibility for its soils and not ‘exporting’ them to another jurisdiction.”