Salt Lake City — This week’s final–perhaps ever, should doomsday predictions prove accurate– Better Beehive Award goes to environmental group HEAL Utah for successfully preventing an EnergySolutions executive from being appointed to the state board that oversees nuclear waste regulation in Utah.
HEAL, the Healthy Environmental Alliance of Utah, was a key player in derailing Governor Gary Herbert’s appointment of Dan Shrum to the Radiation Control Board. Joined by the Alliance for a Better UTAH, HEAL called for Herbert to appoint someone else to the board that would fairly consider the interests of all Utahns.
“It was outrageous that Governor Herbert ever thought it was OK to appoint an EnergySolutions executive to the body that sets Utah’s nuclear waste policies,” said HEAL Executive Director Christopher Thomas in a Salt Lake Tribune article.
Shrum decided to remove himself from consideration for appointment to the state board after public outcries made his appointment untenable.
“HEAL has worked tirelessly to ensure Utah does not become the world’s dumping ground for nuclear waste,” said Maryann Martindale, executive director of Better UTAH. “We cannot underscore enough how important they are to not only the environmental community, but to the safety and health of Utahns all over the state.”
Each day this week the Alliance for a Better UTAH announced a winner of its 2012 Better Beehive Awards. The award recognizes five notable Utahns and groups for their progressive efforts this year. More information can be found at: http://betterutah.org/better-beehive-awards-2012/
Previous Winners
Thursday’s Better Beehive was awarded to Sandy and Paul Krueger for their efforts in starting a petition rallying against the legislature’s passage of a so-called “abstinence-only” bill in the 2012 legislative session that ultimately led to Governor Gary Herbert’s veto of the controversial law.
Wednesday’s Better Beehive went to the Salt Lake Tribune Editorial board for its decision to retract a poll that had originally erred in its prediction of the results for the Salt Lake County mayoral race between Ben McAdams and Mark Crockett.
Tuesday’s Better Beehive Award went to the cities of Harrisville and Springdale for enacting ordinances this year that bar employment and housing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Monday’s Better Beehive Award winner was retiring state senator Ross Romero. The Alliance for a Better UTAH recognized Romero for his efforts to secure the release to the public of the legislature’s 2010 redistricting records.
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Alliance for a Better Utah | 801.557.1532 | www.betterutah.org
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The Alliance for a Better UTAH is a year-round, multi-issue education and advocacy organization providing resources, commentary, and action on important public policy matters.