SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City, the city of Sandy, and the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake and Sandy have filed a joint lawsuit against the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) over concerns regarding a proposed gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon. The lawsuit, filed in federal court on Monday, aims to compel UDOT to submit a supplemental environmental impact statement and federal record of decision that give more attention to the potential impact of the project on Little Cottonwood Creek.
The plaintiffs argue that UDOT’s record of decision, filed in July, fails to adequately assess the project’s effects on the canyon and its water resources. Little Cottonwood Canyon is a significant source of drinking water for residents in Salt Lake City, Sandy, and surrounding areas. The plaintiffs demand a new impact statement that adheres to the standards set by the Wilderness Act of 1964, the Transportation Act of 1966, and the Administrative Procedures Act.
Throughout the planning process, Salt Lake City leaders have expressed concerns about any alterations to the canyon due to UDOT’s project. The agency ultimately chose a three-phase approach to address traffic issues, culminating in the construction of a gondola.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall emphasized the importance of clean and safe drinking water, stating, 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. Mendenhall believes that UDOT’s record of decision does not adequately evaluate water resource impacts.
This lawsuit follows another recently filed by two nonprofit organizations and a group of residents, which seeks to halt the entire project until it fully complies with the National Environmental Policy Act. The group argues that the project is excessively costly, and alternative solutions to the canyon’s traffic problems would be more sensible.
In response, officials from Salt Lake City, Sandy, and the Metropolitan Water District stress that their lawsuit does not primarily concern UDOT’s transportation decisions but instead focuses on water resources and their potential impact on residents. Laura Briefer, the director of Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities, emphasizes the need for a comprehensive process that considers the effects on water supply and quality, benefiting all those who rely on the resources from the Little Cottonwood watershed and the Central Wasatch Mountains.
While UDOT has acknowledged the lawsuit, the agency has yet to conduct a thorough review of its contents.
The ongoing dispute highlights the growing tensions between transportation development projects and environmental preservation efforts in the Salt Lake Valley. The lawsuit’s outcome will determine the future of the gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon and the extent to which water resources will be protected for the region’s residents.
