HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report - Climate Forward SLC
MEMORANDUM
DEPARTMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability Department
451 S. State Street, Room 404 WWW.SLC.GOV/SUSTAINABILITY P.O. Box 145467, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-5467 TEL 801-535-6470
TO: Salt Lake City Planning Commission
FROM: Debbie Lyons, Director of Sustainability (debbie.lyons@slc.gov)
Sophia Nicholas, Deputy Director of Sustainability (sophia.nicholas@slc.gov)
Catherine Wyffels, Program Manager (catherine.wyffels@slc.gov)
DATE: May 6, 2026
RE: Climate Forward SLC Update
Climate Forward SLC
Overview:
This memorandum is intended to introduce the Planning Commission to the Climate
Forward SLC planning effort, which will update the City’s climate strategy and will be
proposed for formal Council adoption in late 2026 or early 2027. This memo also
provides an overview and key takeaways from the Climate Forward SLC Existing
Conditions Report.
Action:
No action required.
Background:
In Summer 2025, the Sustainability Department started developing the Climate
Forward SLC plan, which will reaffirm the City’s commitment to its climate goals, and
will be the first climate plan proposed to City Council for formal adoption. Climate
Forward SLC will identify the challenges and opportunities the City will face because of
climate change, focus on actionable strategies, and establish metrics to evaluate
progress toward our climate goals. Specifically, the plan will identify strategies and
metrics in key climate sectors such as energy, air quality, commercial and residential
buildings, waste, transportation, food systems, municipal operations, and climate
resiliency and adaptation.
The Climate Forward SLC plan will build upon the guiding principles established in Plan
Salt Lake, particularly the air quality and natural environment principles. In addition,
the Climate Forward SLC plan will align with the work of other City departments that
encompass climate and align with the City’s climate priorities. It will also complement
and, where appropriate, defer to other adopted City plans such as Housing SLC,
Sustainability Department 451 S. State Street, Room 404 WWW.SLC.GOV/SUSTAINABILITY P.O. Box 145467, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-5467 TEL 801-535-6470
Growing Water Smart, Urban Forestry Action Plan, Reimagine Nature, and Connect
SLC.
Historic Policy Direction
Salt Lake City’s general plan, “Plan Salt Lake”, acknowledges the City’s commitment to
sustainable growth and development:
“Salt Lake City is committed to sustainable growth and development. The
Sustainable Salt Lake – Plan 2015 reflects our current broad and ambitious
agenda to protect our resources, enhance our assets, and establish a path
toward greater resiliency and vitality for every aspect of our community. Plan
Salt Lake builds upon the principles and goals identified in Sustainable Salt
Lake, incorporating sustainability principles throughout the Plan with the goal
of livability and making our City one of the greenest, most inclusive, and
economically viable cities in the country.”
Plan Salt Lake refers to “Sustainable Salt Lake – Plan 2015”, which is one of the City’s
first climate plans, although it did not go through a formal adoption process. It was used
to guide administrative efforts and policy recommendations. Following the adoption of
the general plan, the City made specific climate commitments with the adoption of joint
Mayor-Council resolution 33 of 2016, establishing goals to achieve 100% renewable
energy for our community by 2032 and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent
by 2040 (compared to a 2009 baseline). In 2019, the Mayor and Council adopted Joint
Resolution 23 of 2019 which moved the target date for 100% renewable energy up two
years, to 2030 to comply with state code (§54-17-901 to -909) adopted in the 2019
legislative session.
Since this initial commitment, the City has made substantial progress toward these
goals, and the Sustainability Department has documented climate strategies through
development of Administrative strategy documents such as the Climate Positive 2040
plan, which served as an update to the “Sustainable Salt Lake – Plan 2015”.
In 2023, Salt Lake City received funding through EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction
Grants (CPRG) program to develop a climate plan for the Salt Lake Metropolitan
Statistical Area (MSA), called The Greater Salt Lake Clean Energy and Air Roadmap
(SL-CLEAR). The Sustainability Department led this effort with input and support from
local governments across Salt Lake County and Tooele counties along with a diverse set
of stakeholders across multiple sectors in the region. The final plan and other resources,
such as an emissions dashboard, blueprints for actions, and the environmental justice
committee webpage, can be found in this website. The Sustainability Department
leveraged the work of this larger planning effort to develop Climate Forward SLC, a
climate plan specifically for Salt Lake City.
Climate Forward SLC - Existing Conditions Report
The Existing Conditions Report is the first step in updating the City’s climate strategy.
This report assesses current conditions and the relevant social, economic, and
environmental factors that impact, or are impacted by, our warming climate. The
information in the Existing Conditions Report, and the many studies, plans, policies and
Sustainability Department 451 S. State Street, Room 404 WWW.SLC.GOV/SUSTAINABILITY P.O. Box 145467, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-5467 TEL 801-535-6470
initiatives that it references, will be the foundation for crafting strategies for Climate
Forward SLC.
The Existing Conditions Report went through an extensive internal review process to
ensure that the foundational elements of our climate plan incorporate priorities from
across City departments. The Sustainability Department also led a robust public
outreach effort in the summer and fall of 2025, which is summarized in the Existing
Conditions Report. Activities included an online survey, in-person intercept surveys, in-
person tabling at community events with interactive activities, and an online business
survey.
The Existing Conditions Report is included as an attachment to this memo and can also
be found on the Climate Forward project website.
Below are the key takeaways from this report and what this means for our climate
planning process.
Key Takeaway 1: Greenhouse gas emissions are decreasing, but
more ambitious and immediate action is needed to achieve our
climate goal/or and lessen the worst impacts of climate change.
Electricity is the largest contributor to community GHGs at 40% in 2024,
followed by natural gas in buildings (29%) and on-road transportation (22%).
Community greenhouse gas emissions fell 11% from 2009 to 2024, driven
primarily by a 30% drop in the carbon intensity of electricity generation as the
electric grid shifted toward cleaner energy resources. Per capita emissions
declined 25% from 2009 to 2024. These trends illustrate that with the right set of
policies and technologies in place, local economic and population growth can be
partially decoupled from emissions.
Climate Forward SLC will be guided by the City’s long-standing target of an 80%
reduction in greenhouse gases (GHGs) by 2040. Meaningful emission reduction
progress will hinge on aggressive strategies that can accelerate uptake of
decarbonization solutions, including the continued shift to renewable energy
sources for electricity generation coupled with the electrification of buildings and
vehicles. Solutions such as land-use planning and transportation mode shifting
will also play an important role along with improved energy efficiency in
buildings.
Most importantly, achieving this ambitious 80% reduction target by 2040 will
require action from a range of actors, including individuals, businesses, and
organizations. The City’s climate plan will focus on City-led actions and policies
that can fill in gaps, strengthen existing programs, or be a catalyst for widespread
change. At the same time, it will prioritize actions and policies that align with the
work of key organizations, community partners, and City departments, and will
highlight the importance of partnerships for meaningful progress.
Key Takeaway 2: Rising energy costs and affordability concerns will be a significant obstacle to the adoption of climate solutions.
Sustainability Department 451 S. State Street, Room 404 WWW.SLC.GOV/SUSTAINABILITY P.O. Box 145467, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-5467 TEL 801-535-6470
Housing, energy, and affordability are critical issues that are affecting many of
our residents. Many renters are spending more than half their income on housing
while homeownership remains out of reach for most, and high commercial rents
make it difficult for small businesses to thrive. Climate change impacts could
make housing costs worse without careful attention and coordinated action.
Many of the decarbonization and other climate solutions require an upfront
investment, which property owners and developers must absorb and can increase
housing costs. Although long-term utility and fuel savings can offset much of this
investment, these savings primarily benefit building occupants rather than
owners or developers. On the other hand, not adopting these solutions can lead to
higher utility costs for building occupants, especially as energy demands increase
in response to a warming climate. This tension between upfront investment,
long-term costs, and affordability will be an important consideration for Climate
Forward SLC. We will continue to explore these challenges and a variety of
strategies to support the community in this transition, such as educational
resources, technical assistance, and funding and incentives programs.
Key Takeaway 3: The industrial and commercial sectors are major contributors of emissions, and energy demands in these sectors are
expected to continue to grow.
Industrial and commercial sectors already account for over 85% of building
energy use. As our economy continues to grow, energy demand in these sectors
will also grow and potentially amplified with the increasing impact of Artificial
Intelligence (AI) and digital transformation. The Utah Community Clean Energy
Program, which aims to provide net-100% renewable energy to the Salt Lake City
community, is an important opportunity to reduce the climate impact from these
sectors. However, it will rely on large energy users to remain in the program,
which will result in an additional cost on their part. Given the City’s current
resources and authority, implementing additional decarbonization solutions will
be challenging. Climate Forward SLC will likely emphasize scaling up existing
programs, but achieving meaningful impact in these sectors will require strong
partnerships and a renewed focus and commitment from different stakeholders.
Key Takeaway 4: Community members and businesses are concerned about the impacts of climate change in our region and
support City-led climate action.
Sustainability conducted a robust community engagement process that included
an online public survey (which received over 700 responses), over 200 intercept
surveys, and a business engagement survey.
Community members indicated that they are most concerned about drought, air
pollution, and wildfires. Survey respondents indicated that the City should
prioritize reducing air pollution, expanding renewable energy, and increasing
trees and green spaces, with the strongest public interest in actions that cut
climate pollution while delivering multiple community benefits. People also
Sustainability Department 451 S. State Street, Room 404 WWW.SLC.GOV/SUSTAINABILITY P.O. Box 145467, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-5467 TEL 801-535-6470
highlighted the need to protect the Great Salt Lake, reduce car traffic, ensure
equity, and support solutions that work for renters.
There appears to be broad support for and interest in different climate solutions
technologies, such as solar panels, heat pumps, electric cars, induction cooktops,
and others. However, survey responses indicate that there is a lack of or low
familiarity with certain key technologies, particularly heat pumps and induction
cooktops. There also appears to be a disconnect between the actions respondents
are interested in and the high-impact actions needed to reduce emissions. This
indicates that communications and educational strategies will be key for success
and community support of Climate Forward SLC.
Most business survey respondents indicated considerable concern around how
climate change will impact their business, including employee health and safety,
supply chain disruptions, and property and infrastructure damage due to extreme
weather. Many businesses are already taking climate action but indicated that
lack of funding and competing business priorities are significant obstacles to
implementation.
Finally, the drying Great Salt Lake is a major concern and seen as an existential
threat by both community members and businesses. Climate Forward SLC will
elevate these concerns and highlight water conservation as a critical need for
climate adaptation and resiliency. As noted in key takeaway #5, the Sustainability
Department is undergoing a stakeholder engagement process to identify how the
climate plan can best advance resiliency and adaptation efforts needed in the
community.
Key Takeaway 5: Climate resiliency and adaptation planning is
necessary to prepare for, adapt to, and recover from the impacts of
climate change and must be elevated as a priority.
Salt Lake City faces numerous challenges from climate change, such as extreme
heat, drought, more frequent and extreme flooding, and declining air quality.
Mitigation efforts to reduce GHG emissions are essential to limit the severity of
these challenges, but resilience and adaptation measures are equally critical, as
we are already experiencing the effects of climate change and can expect them to
intensify in the years ahead.
The City has several existing initiatives that support and advance climate
resiliency efforts, such as numerous water conservation strategies and efforts to
increase tree cover and access to green spaces. Climate Forward SLC will identify
where cross-departmental synergies exist and opportunities for the City to
advance climate resiliency through improved coordination and new initiatives.
To support this work, the Sustainability Department hosted a Climate Resiliency
and Adaptation Workshop on April 2, 2026, bringing together leaders and key
staff from most City departments. The Sustainability Department shared the
latest climate data and projections and led discussions to generate ideas for how
the City can better prepare for climate‑related hazards. Insights from this
Sustainability Department 451 S. State Street, Room 404 WWW.SLC.GOV/SUSTAINABILITY P.O. Box 145467, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-5467 TEL 801-535-6470
workshop can be used to guide the City in determining how the climate plan can
most effectively advance resiliency and adaptation across the City.
Key Takeaway 6: Addressing community disparities will be critical to the success of Climate Forward SLC.
The Existing Conditions Report documents the climate hazards and the potential
impacts to different areas of the City. Westside neighborhoods are
disproportionally burdened by extreme heat, air pollution, and elevated flooding
risks. The downtown area is affected by extreme heat and lack of green spaces,
while the Eastside neighborhoods face risks from wildfire and flooding. While
most climate hazards are expected to have impacts that span our entire city,
lower income residents face heightened vulnerability to climate hazards and
related health impacts due to socio-economic conditions, geography, pollution
exposure, and inadequate infrastructure.
Climate Forward SLC will be guided by a commitment to address community
disparities, with intentional consideration of actions that support the
neighborhoods and community members most in need.
Climate Forward SLC – Plan Development
Drawing on the takeaways from the Existing Conditions Report, the Sustainability
Department has drafted the following guiding principles that will inform development
of Climate Forward SLC.
1. Urgency. We know that time is of the essence and that the cost of inaction will
increase over time.
2. Collective Action. We will get there when we each do our part.
3. Partnership. We cannot do this alone. We must work with partners to achieve
collective action and help everyone do their part.
4. Transformation. We need to prioritize market-ready solutions that can drive
rapid large-scale transformation.
5. People-centered. We recognize the disparate needs across our community and
prioritize efforts that benefit those who need it most.
6. Multi-benefit outcomes. We ensure affordability and other community benefits as
we work to reduce emissions.
7. Resilience. We prepare for a changed climate while working to reduce climate
impacts.
The Sustainability Department is in the process of developing goals and strategies for
Climate Forward SLC, using the above guiding principles as our framework. The
Department will continue to meet with key staff in other City departments and will
engage additional stakeholders, including environmental advocacy groups,
practitioners, and community organizations, to help shape our goals and strategies.
Sustainability Department 451 S. State Street, Room 404 WWW.SLC.GOV/SUSTAINABILITY P.O. Box 145467, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-5467 TEL 801-535-6470
Project Timeline
Timeline Project Task
Completed
• Mayor Mendenhall signed the initiation petition for this
plan, completing the initial step in the formal adoption
process.
• Public engagement started.
Fall 2025 City Council informational transmittal and Council
briefing.
• Public survey closed.
• Prepared draft Existing Conditions Report.
Winter 2025-26 Finalized draft Existing Conditions Report and shared
• Prepared final Existing Conditions Report.
• Shared the Existing Conditions Report and a progress
In Progress
• Plan and initiate the next phase of stakeholder
engagement with City departments, practitioners and
other experts.
• Draft plan guiding principles and framework, identify
Upcoming
• Continue stakeholder engagement to inform climate
2027
• Prepare draft plan.
• Present final draft to Planning Commission for
recommendation.
• Send briefing to City Council with final draft plan, and
Planning Commission and Mayor’s recommendations.
• Present final draft plan to City Council for potential
adoption.
CLIMATE FORWARD SLC
Existing Conditions
Report
March 2026
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 2
Executive Summary
About This Report
Salt Lake City is updating its climate strategy. The updated plan—Climate Forward SLC—
will identify key priorities to guide the City’s work toward achieving its 2040 greenhouse
gas reduction goal.
Importantly, the update process is also guided by the City’s desire to ensure that all
neighborhoods and communities benefit as we work to clear our air, lower energy costs,
conserve water, improve food security, support new mobility solutions, and create a more
resilient, green urban environment.
The first step in updating the City’s climate strategy is to assess current conditions and the
relevant social, economic, and environmental factors that impact, or are impacted by,
our warming climate. This includes identifying vulnerabilities and hazards, analyzing our
current and past greenhouse gas emissions, and assessing the City policies and programs
that impact climate action and adaptation.
The information in the Existing Conditions Report, and the many studies, plans, policies
and initiatives that it references, are the foundation for crafting strategies for Climate
Forward SLC that deliver tangible results for all our residents.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 3
Community Profile
Salt Lake City is growing more rapidly than most places. We are becoming increasingly
diverse.
• We need to ensure that our outreach and solutions are inclusive, accessible, and
relevant.
Our geographic location—between the Great Salt Lake and Wasatch Range—is central
to our identity and quality of life.
• Our geography also creates climate challenges such as wintertime air inversions,
wildfire risks, urban heat island effect, and the pressing need for water
conservation.
Housing, energy, and food affordability are critical issues that affect many of our
residents.
• Many renters are paying more than half of their income for housing, and
homeownership is unattainable for most.
• Commercial rents are also high, making business ownership difficult.
• Without careful attention, the impacts of climate change could further increase the
cost of living. Our climate solutions need to contribute to making living here
more affordable.
Industrial and commercial growth in the coming years will increase our energy and
water needs.
• Industrial and commercial sectors already account for over 85% of building energy
use. As our economy continues to grow, energy demand in these sectors will also
grow.
• Industrial and commercial sectors account for 60% of indoor water use and 50% of
outdoor water use in Salt Lake City’s water system. Increased efforts in water
conservation are key to avoid future water supply challenges.
The city’s Westside neighborhoods have less access to healthy foods and less urban
tree canopy, exacerbating other forms of disparities for residents who live there.
• The city’s climate action work and related efforts need to address these disparities.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 4
Climate Hazards and Vulnerability Assessment
Salt Lake City is uniquely vulnerable to climate change due to its distinctive geography,
unique ecological systems, arid climate, and rapid urban growth.
Our primary climate challenges stem from rising temperatures, which are changing the
precipitation patterns and overwhelming existing infrastructure.
• This shift is causing more intense and short-lived rainfall events, accelerated
snowmelt, and increased spring runoff, leading to an increase in the risk of flooding.
Our region ranks among the top three metro areas in the nation for urban heat island
intensity.
• The west side of the city is especially vulnerable to extreme heat, driven by an
abundance of heat-absorbing surfaces and limited vegetation—factors that also
contribute to increased flood risk.
Drought, increased evaporation, and agriculture are driving the shrinking of the Great
Salt Lake.
• Drought weakens lake effect snow, which reduces snowpack in the mountains.
• The drying lakebed creates pollutant-loaded dust that is transported by winds to
nearby communities.
• Most of the water loss in the Great Salt Lake is driven by agricultural diversions,
which primarily occur outside the Salt Lake region.
• While most climate hazards are expected to affect both low-income and more
affluent communities in Salt Lake City similarly, low-income neighborhoods face
heightened vulnerability due to several compounding factors including socio-
economic conditions, health disparities, pollution exposure, and inadequate
infrastructure.
Air quality challenges due to ozone and particulate matter pollution are a continued
and persistent problem in the city.
• Residents on the west side of the valley carry the worst burdens, in part due to
proximity to emission sources such as highways, industry, the airport, and the
exposed lakebeds of the Great Salt Lake.
• This issue hinders economic development by making our City less appealing to
businesses, workers, and tourists - another key source of revenue for our region.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 5
• Over the last two decades, air pollution along the Wasatch Front has steadily
declined despite major population growth, due to effective policy actions and
deployment of cleaner technologies.
Community GHG Inventory
The most common benchmark for community climate planning and goal setting is locally
produced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Salt Lake City has been tracking its GHGs for
over 15 years and has a goal to reduce emissions from a 2009 baseline by at least 50% by
2030 and 80% by 2040.
Community greenhouse gas emissions fell 11% from 2009 to 2024, driven primarily by a
30% drop in the carbon intensity of electricity generation as the electric grid shifted toward
cleaner energy resources.
• Per capita emissions declined 25% from 2009 to 2024, illustrating that local
economic and population growth have been partially decoupled from emissions.
Electricity remains the largest contributor to community GHGs at 40% in 2024, followed
by natural gas in buildings (29%) and on-road transportation (22%).
Achieving the City’s target of an 80% reduction in GHGs by 2040 will hinge on
accelerated uptake of decarbonization solutions, including the continued shift to
renewable energy sources for electricity generation coupled with the electrification of
buildings and vehicles. Additional solutions such as land-use planning and transportation
mode shifting will play a role along with improved energy efficiency in buildings.
Public Input
In the initial stages of the Climate Action Plan update, city staff conducted a robust
community engagement process that included an online public survey (which received
over 700 responses), over 200 intercept surveys, and a business engagement survey.
• City staff also attended over a dozen community events and engaged with attendees
using a dot board and other interactive activities to share their perspectives.
Survey respondents are most concerned about drought and lack of water, air pollution
and its impacts, and more wildfires and smoky days.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 6
• Respondents ranked reducing air pollution, shifting to clean, renewable energy, and
increasing trees and green space as their top priorities for city action and expressed
the most interest in city actions that reduce climate pollution and that have multiple
benefits.
A survey of local businesses was also conducted, with over 50 representatives from a
wide range of industries and business sizes participating.
• The majority indicated considerable concern around climate change’s impact on
their business. The primary areas of concern were employee health and safety,
supply chain disruptions, and property and infrastructure damage due to extreme
weather.
• Nearly 80% of survey respondents reported that they have implemented, are
currently pursuing, or are interested in adopting climate-related actions, but were
limited due to lack of funding, competing business priorities, and staff capacity.
Policies, Programs, and Plans with Climate Reference
Salt Lake City has long prioritized policies and initiatives that protect and enhance the
environment.
• The City’s General Plan, Plan Salt Lake (adopted in 2015), established a citywide
vision for growth, sustainability, and livability through 2040 and identified guiding
principles to achieve this vision.
• Climate Forward SLC aligns with many of the guiding principles of Plan Salt
Lake, particularly Guiding Principle #5: Air Quality.
The City has also adopted multiple plans and implemented many programs and initiatives
that support climate priorities.
• Utah Renewable Communities (URC), also known as the Community Clean
Energy Program, is a critical effort and essential to achieving the SLC’s renewable
energy and emission reduction goals.
• Connect SLC and Housing SLC include several strategies that reduce the climate
impact of the transportation and buildings sectors. Several plans address green
spaces and climate resiliency.
Climate Forward SLC will build upon this legacy and the adopted City policies,
programs, and projects to help advance the City’s climate priorities.
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 7
Table of Contents
Community Profile ............................................................... 9
Key Takeaways for Climate Forward SLC ..............................................9
Geography ....................................................................................... 10
Population Growth ........................................................................... 11
Demographics.................................................................................. 12
Housing ........................................................................................... 14
Income ............................................................................................ 16
Economy, Workforce, Commercial, and Industrial.............................. 16
Commuting and Transportation ......................................................... 19
Food Security & Healthy Food Access................................................ 20
Forestry and Green Space ................................................................. 21
Urban Agriculture ............................................................................. 23
Water Use ........................................................................................ 24
Climate Hazards & Vulnerability Assessment ...................... 26
Key Takeaways for Climate Forward SLC ............................................ 26
Climate Hazards .............................................................................. 27
Extreme Heat & Urban Heat Island Effect ........................................... 28
Drought and the Shrinking Great Salt Lake ......................................... 32
Precipitation and Flooding ................................................................ 35
Wildfires .......................................................................................... 37
Air Quality ........................................................................................ 40
Indoor Air Pollution ........................................................................... 45
Baseline Vulnerability Assessment .................................................... 46
Community GHG Inventory ................................................. 48
Key Takeaways for Climate Forward SLC ............................................ 48
Overview .......................................................................................... 49
Emissions from Buildings .................................................................. 52
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 8
Emissions from Transportation .......................................................... 58
Emissions from Solid Waste .............................................................. 61
Nexus to Regional Climate Planning .................................................. 63
Public Input ........................................................................ 64
Key Takeaways for Climate Forward SLC ............................................ 64
Community Engagement Process...................................................... 65
Policies, Programs, & Plans with Climate Reference ............ 77
Key Takeaways for Climate Forward SLC ............................................ 77
Policies and Projects Relevant to Climate Action ............................... 78
Plan Salt Lake .................................................................................. 78
Energy ............................................................................................. 79
Transportation .................................................................................. 81
Buildings .......................................................................................... 86
Climate Resiliency and Adaptation .................................................... 89
Food Systems .................................................................................. 93
Waste .............................................................................................. 95
Appendix A: Survey Summaries........................................... 98
Appendix B: In-Progress and Completed Projects .............. 130
Appendix C: References.................................................... 146
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 9
Community Profile
Key Takeaways for Climate Forward SLC
Our geographic location defines us but also creates climate challenges
such as wintertime air inversions, urban heat island effect, wildfire risks, and
the pressing need for water conservation.
We are growing more rapidly than most places, making our economy and
population more diverse and dynamic while requiring us to adjust and scale
our solutions to meet changing needs.
We are becoming increasingly diverse. We need to ensure that our outreach
and solutions are accessible, relevant, and able to serve people from many
different backgrounds.
COMMUNITY PROFILE
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 10
Housing, energy, and affordability are critical issues that are affecting
many of our residents. Climate change’s impacts could make matters worse
without careful attention and coordinated action. Our climate solutions need
to contribute to making living here more affordable.
Industrial and commercial growth will increase our energy needs. These
sectors account for over 85% of building energy use (residential is about 15%).
As our economy grows and adapts to the impacts of AI and digital
transformation, energy demand in these sectors will also grow.
The city’s Westside neighborhoods have less access to healthy foods,
less access to green space, and less urban tree canopy, exacerbating other
forms of disparities for residents who live there. The city’s climate action work
and related efforts need to address these disparities.
Geography
Our geographic location—between the Great Salt Lake and Wasatch
Range—is central to our identity and quality of life.
Salt Lake City (SLC) has a land area of nearly 111 square miles and a population of over
215,000 (2024 estimate). It is the capital of Utah and the largest city in the state, located in
the Salt Lake Valley and defined geographically by the Wasatch Range to the east, the
Oquirrh Mountains to the west, and the Great Salt Lake to the northwest. At the western
edge of the Rocky Mountains, the city has an average elevation of just over 4,300 feet.
COMMUNITY PROFILE
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 11
Figure 1. Map of Salt Lake City1
Population Growth
We are growing faster than most US cities and the rest of the region.
SLC is one of the fastest growing cities in the US, growing 4.5% between 2019 and 2023.
With over 215,000 residents, SLC is the largest city in the Wasatch Front, and the city
continues to add more housing and more new residents than any other city in the region.
Across the County, the population increased from 1 million in 2010 to 1.2 million in 2022.
However, growth in the county is projected to slow in the coming years, with growth
projected to drop to 0.7% annually between 2025 and 2065.2
COMMUNITY PROFILE
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 12
Demographics
We are younger and more diverse than the rest of the state and will become
increasingly diverse in the coming years. The state will become more
diverse, too.
Utah continues to diversify racially and ethnically, with the minority share of the population
increasing over the past six consecutive decades.3 State population projections from the
Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah indicate that racial and ethnic
diversification will continue to increase, with the Hispanic population increasing to one in
five Utahns and the non-Hispanic White population decreasing to less than two of three
Utahns by 2060.4 SLC is more racially and ethnically diverse than the state. The Hispanic or
Latino population is the largest minority population, representing 19.9% of the city's
population. City Council Districts 1 and 2 have the highest shares of Hispanic or Latino
population at 41% and 46%, respectively. Over half of the population of six tracts west of I-
15 identify as Hispanic or Latino (W3, W6, W10m W11, W13).
Figure 2. Hispanic and Latino Population in Council Districts and Census Tracts5
The second largest minority population is the Asian population, representing over 5% of
residents. Additionally, 3% of residents are Black, 2% are Pacific Islander, 1% are Native
American, and 5% report being two or more races. SLC has a foreign-born population of
over 15%, and 83% of the foreign-born population speak a language other than English at
home.6
COMMUNITY PROFILE
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 13
Salt
Lake
City
Council
District
1
Council
District
2
Council
District
3
Council
District
4
Council
District
5
Council
District
6
Council
District
7
Non-Hispanic
White
65.2% 36.1% 34.9% 78.1% 70.1% 72.7% 83.1% 82.2%
Hispanic or
Latino
19.9% 41.1% 45.7% 9.2% 12.9% 16.4% 5.3% 8.9%
Non-Hispanic
Black or
African
American
2.6% 3.5% 5.8% 2.0% 3.0% 2.0% 1.2% 1.1%
Non-Hispanic
American
Indian or
Alaska Native
0.6% 0.3% 1.9% 0.2% 1.1% 0.3% 0.3% 0.4%
Non-Hispanic
Asian
5.3% 7.9% 4.1% 5.0% 6.7% 3.3% 5.6% 3.3%
Non-Hispanic
Native
Hawaiian and
other Pacific
Islander
4.7% 5.2% 3.4% 5.5% 5.6% 4.7% 4.2% 3.9%
Table 1. Share of Population of City and City Council Districts by Race and Hispanic or
Latino Origin7
In terms of racial segregation, a 2018 report by Apartment List shows that SLC is less
segregated than most of the country, but that the city has failed to make significant
progress in the past decade. As of 2018, the city had a segregation index score of 0.37,
making it the seventh least segregated of the 50 largest metros. However, the report shows
that since 2009 the metro has made zero progress in desegregating.8
As of 2022, the median age in SLC was 32.5, while it is 31.4 statewide.9 Roughly 18% of city
residents were children (5.2% under age 5, 12.8% between 5 and 17). In City Council
Districts 1 and 2, youth under the age of 18 compose more than one-quarter of residents.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 14
Projections from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute indicate that statewide growth in the
younger population will be increasingly more diverse compared to the older population.
Over time, non-Hispanic Whites will be older, and other groups, especially multi-racial
Utahns, younger. The projected non-Hispanic White population will comprise nearly three-
fourths of growth for the retirement age population while among Utah preschool and
school age populations, projections indicate almost half of the growth will be from
individuals identifying as Hispanic or Latino.10
Under 5 5 to 17 18 to 34 35-64 65+
Total 8.1% 21.7% 26.0% 33.4% 10.8%
Black or African
American alone
8.8% 26.4% 32.7% 28.3% 3.9%
American Indian or
Alaska Native alone
8.4% 21.5% 30.4% 33.6% 6.2%
Asian alone 5.0% 14.3% 33.7% 38.2% 8.8%
Native Hawaiian and
other Pacific Islander
alone
8.2% 22.3% 35.9% 28.2% 5.5%
Some other race alone 9.3% 25.4% 28.8% 33.2% 3.3%
Two or more races alone 15.7% 34.8% 28.4% 18.8% 2.3%
White, not Hispanic or
Latino
7.5% 20.6% 25.0% 34.4% 12.5%
Hispanic or Latino 10.6% 26.9% 28.5% 29.8% 4.3%
Table 2. Race and Ethnicity by Age Groups in Utah, 2015-201911
Housing
Housing affordability is a critical issue, including rents, home prices, and
utility costs. Many renters are paying more than half of their income for
housing, and homeownership is unattainable for most.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 15
SLC is a majority renter city (52%), and over half of renters are cost burdened, which means
they spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs.1213 In 2023, approximately
22% of renters spent over 50% of their income on rent, which is defined as extremely cost
burdened.14 Rent burdened households are distributed evenly across most tracts, showing
that rent burden is a widespread issue.15
Figure 3. Salt Lake City Household Rent Burden16
From 2013 to 2023, median rent in Salt Lake City increased by 80%. The median gross rent
in the city as of 2023 was $1,492.17 According to Apartment List, the average utilities costs
for a 915 sq ft apartment in SLC is $229.70 a month (including electricity, gas, water, and
fuel costs).18 According to the 2023 Housing SLC report, rental vacancy rates are low and
home sale prices are unaffordable to most residents.19 These factors all contribute to a
high level of displacement risk, as documented in the City’s 2023 Thriving in Place report.20
Displacement impacts affect everyone, but especially lower income families and people of
color. More than half of all families with children live in displacement risk neighborhoods.21
Across the city, the number of households with children is decreasing. From 2010 to 2020,
the number of households with children dropped from about 1 in 4 to about 1 in 5.22 Of all
racial/ethnic groups, the Pacific Islander community has the largest share of its population
living in tracts with displacement risk.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 16
Homeownership is increasingly unattainable to most residents of Salt Lake City. As of
spring 2022, 71 percent of Utah households were priced out of the median-priced home,
shrinking the opportunity for homeownership.23 With median home sale prices at $490,000
(2021), 72.6% of all Salt Lake City households and 86.4% of renter households are unable
to afford the median priced home.24
Income
Our incomes are lower on average compared to the rest of the country and
state, with White households having higher median incomes than other
groups.
The median household income in SLC is $77,186, which is below the national median of
$83,730 and nearly $20,000 lower than the statewide median household income of
$96,658. Over 14% of the population lives below the poverty line, and poverty rates are
highest among those under age 18 (16.1%). It is important to note that the high student
population skews this data, given that students often have low wages.25
Census data shows significant variation in income by race. White and Native Hawaiian and
other Pacific Islander households have the highest median income (above $79,000 in
2023), and Asian households have the third highest median income. Latino households
have median incomes of just over $61,000 in 2023 and Black households have median
incomes of approximately $38,000.26
As of 2023, the median household income for renters is $54,000, half the $108,000 median
household income of homeowners, highlighting the greater financial strain experienced by
renter households.
Economy, Workforce, Commercial, and Industrial
Our local economy has been growing and becoming more diversified.
Salt Lake City and Utah more broadly are home to thriving economies. In 2024, Utah’s real
gross domestic product (GDP) growth led the nation, reaching 4.5%, significantly higher
than the nation’s 2.8% growth. Additionally, Utah’s nominal GDP surpassed $300 billion for
the first time. From 2023 to 2024, statewide personal income grew 6.1%, ranking Utah 4th
highest among states in terms of growth.27 One in four jobs in Utah is located in SLC.28
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 17
The labor force participation rate in SLC is 69.4%. Of the workforce, nearly two thirds work
for private companies (64.5%). Additionally, 16.9% work in local, state, or federal
government, 10.1% are private not-for-profit wage and salary workers, and 4.9% are self-
employed.
Salt Lake City’s job growth and projections continue to be higher than national averages.
The Salt Lake City economy of $120.6 billion, as measured by 2025 gross metro product, is
forecasted to climb to $123.9 billion in 2026 and $128.2 billion in 2027.29 SLC has a growing
number of IT, finance, outdoor products, and manufacturing companies, and in 2017, Utah
ranked #1 on Forbes’ Best States for Business.30
Industry sectors with the largest workforces are educational services, health care, and
social assistance (26%); professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and
waste management services (14.0%); arts, entertainment, and recreation, and
accommodation and food services (12.5%); and retail trade (12%). The most represented
occupations are management, business, science and arts occupations (about 62,500
people); sales and office occupations (about 24,500 people); and service occupations
(about 20,500 people).
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 18
Figure 4. 2024 Employment by Sector31
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 19
While the commercial market currently has a surplus of space (25.2% of approximately
51,000,000 of space is reported as vacant), the industrial market has a vacancy rate of only
5.8% for 161,000,000 square feet (SF) of space and the retail market has a vacancy rate of
only 2.6% for an inventory of over 40,000,000 SF.32 As of Q4 of 2025, average rents across
all office classes increased 0.9% year over year, reaching $26.12 per square foot per
month.33 Average rents across all industrial property types were at $0.81 per square foot
per month, up slightly from the previous quarter.34 High commercial rents are making
business ownership difficult. Low vacancy rates in certain retail and industrial spaces
combined with slowing development due to high interest rates and land costs will continue
to drive up rent prices. 35
Industrial and commercial growth in the coming years will increase our energy and water
needs. Industrial and commercial sectors already account for over 85% of building energy
use, and they are responsible for 60% of indoor water use and 50% of outdoor water use in
the City’s water system. As our economy continues to grow and adapts to the impacts of AI
and digital transformation, energy and water demand in these sectors will also grow.
Commuting and Transportation
Over 250,000 people work within SLC, 83% of whom live outside the city
limits and travel into SLC on a regular basis.
People with low incomes often cannot afford to live near their workplaces and have longer
commutes. The cost of getting to work increases as residents live further away from the
central area of SLC.36
Residents use a variety of different forms of transportation to get to and from work.
American Community Survey data from 2022 shows that the most common form of
transportation was driving alone (55.2%). In addition to commuting alone, 12% carpool, 6%
take public transit, 2.0% bike, 2.0% take a taxi, motorcycle or other means, and 17.5% work
from home. According to the Connect SLC Plan, negative perceptions of public transit
remain the largest barrier to transit use. Safety, convenience, and reliability of service need
to be improved.37
At the state level, Utah has the third-highest rate of car ownership (over 96%), behind only
Idaho and Wyoming. From 2018 to 2022, Utah had the fourth-highest increase in motor
vehicle registrations (20.6%). Nearly one-third of Utah households own three or more
vehicles.38
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 20
The City is working to improve access to transit and active transportation options and
invests in several programs and infrastructure projects to build a transportation system
that is safe and reliable for people walking, rolling, biking, and taking transit. For instance,
the City has installed over 291 miles of bicycle lanes as of 2025. Additionally, programs like
the 20 Mile Per Hour Local Streets Initiative and the citywide campaign of creating and
improving crosswalks continue to make bicycle and pedestrian travel safer and less
stressful. The City also works closely with Utah Transit Authority on service enhancements,
capital upgrades, and transit pass programs.
Electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the city has risen from 0.7% in 2019 to 2.9% in 2025
(percent of all registered light-duty vehicles). EVs accounted for 7% of new vehicle sales in
2024, up from 1.3% in 2019. Used EV sales are also increasing and accounted for 2.8% of
total used vehicle sales in 2025. Adoption of EVs is not evenly distributed, with adoption
ranging from zero to 9% across SLC zip codes. SLC also has a well-established charging
network with 451 publicly available Level 2 charging ports or plugs and 55 publicly
available DC fast charger ports. As with EV adoption rates, the charging network is not
evenly distributed, with many chargers concentrated in and around downtown and east of
downtown to the University of Utah.39
The City’s 2025 Community Electrified Transportation Study concluded that significant
growth in charging infrastructure is needed to support future adoption scenarios. The Study
also highlighted that advancing EV adoption, combined with mode shifting, is key to
meeting the City’s climate goals.
Food Security & Healthy Food Access
Food insecurity in Salt Lake City is higher than in the county, state, or
country, with significant differences across demographic and geographic
boundaries.
According to SLC’s 2022 Resident Food Access survey, about one in three SLC residents
may be considered food insecure. Alarmingly, 29% of residents reported they had reduced
or forgone food to pay for other household expenses at least once within the last year – an
indicator of low food security. Further, 41% of residents were unable to access the kinds of
food they prefer, particularly healthy foods. The populations most at risk of experiencing
food insecurity in SLC are racial minorities, people with lower education attainment,
renters, and people with disabilities.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 21
Food insecurity in SLC is also geographically correlated. The persistent legacy of redlining
and the resulting decades of disinvestment in some of SLC’s neighborhoods manifests
today as areas of Low Income and Low Access (LILA) by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA). These areas were formerly referred to as “food deserts.”40 Residents living in LILA
areas face economic, geographic, and transit-related barriers to accessing healthy food.41
The share of residents reporting they have not had enough money to buy the food their
household needs is highest in City Council Districts 2 and 4 (both 25%) and lowest in
District 7 (13%) and District 6 (16%). District 6 data is likely impacted by the University of
Utah student population, who experience higher average rates of food insecurity42 despite
living in a higher income area.
Cost is the primary barrier to accessing enough and the kinds of food people need due both
to rising food prices and to increases in other essential expenses such as housing and
healthcare. Accessing food in SLC is also highly dependent on transportation, especially
access to a car. Neighborhood-level access to healthy and affordable foods consistently
ranks among the top needs and desires expressed by SLC residents in city engagement and
planning efforts.43 Current research is assessing the spatial distribution of food retail
(grocery stores, farmers markets, convenience stores), food production (community
gardens, urban farms), and food assistance sites (food pantries, soup kitchens) to inform
future planning efforts and food access initiatives.
Forestry and Green Space
Our urban forests and green spaces play a critical role in mitigating the
effects of climate change, but access to these spaces is not evenly
distributed across the community.
Salt Lake City is home to 88 parks, 86,500 urban forest trees, six golf courses, and over
1,900 acres of natural landscapes.44 45 The 2019 Public Lands Needs Assessment found
that the majority of city residents live within a ten-minute walk to green space but found
some areas (markedly on the Westside) need more parks and/or more investment in park
renewal.
The 2019 Needs Assessment also found that the downtown core is especially lacking in
green space compared to the rest of the city. Most cities offer three times more green
space to downtown residents than Salt Lake City. Near term investments like the
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 22
Downtown Beautification Initiative, Civic Center, and Fleet Block aim to create new green
space downtown to better serve its growing population.
Urban forests play a key role in promoting public and environmental health and mitigating
some effects of climate change. The SLC urban forest includes 260 species of trees that
support biodiversity and improve air quality. As outlined in SLC’s Urban Forest Action Plan,
there is an uneven distribution of tree canopy across the city. Under current conditions,
areas on the east side of the city have nearly twice the canopy as the those on the west
side and about four times the canopy as downtown. Since wealthier communities have
greater tree canopy, they also have greater access to the range of benefits of the urban
forest, which include lower temperatures, reduced air pollution, and improved physical
and mental health.
Figure 5. Redlining and the Urban Forest46
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 23
Urban Agriculture
Urban agriculture sites, such as community gardens and urban farms, serve
as neighborhood green spaces while also helping improve healthy food
access and environmental and community resilience.
As of 2025, there are 159 urban agriculture spaces in Salt Lake City, including 97 yard-share
sites, 47 community, school, and supportive housing gardens, four community orchards,
nine urban farms, and two urban ranches. These sites occupy approximately 315 acres,
with an additional estimated 1,250 acres zoned for agricultural use within the city’s
boundaries. Nearly 70,000 home gardens also exist throughout the city, representing 34%
of residents who grow or raise some of their own food. According to the 2022 SLC Resident
Food Access Survey, a majority (66%) of residents not currently growing their own food are
interested in starting to do so, presenting an opportunity to expand local food production.
Urban agriculture initiatives offer a wide range of health, social, environmental, and
economic benefits.47 Notably, urban agriculture plays an important role in improving
access to healthy and culturally relevant foods for both growers and the broader
community. That’s one reason the City has invested, since 2023, in the SLC Food
Microgrant program, which makes grants to individuals ($250) and organizations (up to
$5,000) to support local food production. More than 70% of SLC Food Microgrant recipients
report sharing what they grow with family, neighbors, and local food assistance programs.
However, the relationship between urban agriculture and food access is complex.48 Small-
scale urban agriculture is often associated with high production costs, including land,
equipment, and resources such as gas and water; as well as non-financial costs including
time and physical labor. These challenges can make growing or buying locally grown food
inaccessible to many people. Further, due to the higher costs associated with small-scale
and urban food production compared to industrial agriculture, food sold from local farms
may be more expensive and unaffordable for families with lower incomes.49 Urban
agriculture can also unintentionally increase land prices and contribute to displacement in
low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, deepening existing disparities in
land ownership and food access.50 A majority of Salt Lake City’s urban agriculture sites are
located in historically redlined neighborhoods, with 75% situated in LILA areas, particularly
on the city’s Westside. While the relatively lower land costs and larger lot sizes in these
areas can facilitate the development of urban agriculture sites, they do not always lead to
improved food access for nearby residents. Local research shows that a significant portion
of food produced on Westside farms is consumed by residents from the Eastside.51
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 24
Despite Salt Lake City’s historical practices of planning around agricultural production52
and broad community support for growing food locally, persistent challenges with land
access, affordability, farmland loss, development pressure, and climate change present
significant threats to the continuing viability of urban agriculture in SLC.
Water Use
Residential and commercial customers are the largest water users in Salt
Lake City. Significant progress in water conservation has been made in the
last two decades, but additional efforts are needed to accommodate future
growth and support the Great Salt Lake.
Salt Lake City’s Department of Public Utilities provides all retail water service within SLC,
as well as portions of other communities on the east side of the Salt Lake Valley. This
includes portions of South Salt Lake, Millcreek, Holladay, Murray, Cottonwood Heights, and
unincorporated Salt Lake County.
The customers within this service area include residential (single family, duplex, triplex,
fourplex), commercial (business, hospital, hotel, restaurants, apartments), institutional
(school, church, parks, government), and industrial. 53 As shown in Table 3, residential and
commercial customers are the largest water users, with residential use accounting for
nearly half of all outdoor use and a third of all indoor use. Commercial users account for
half of indoor use and a third of the outdoor use.
User Type
Indoor Water Use
(% of Total)
Outdoor Water Use
(% of Total)
Residential 35% 48%
Commercial 50% 34%
Industrial 10% 2%
Institutional 5% 16%
Table 3. Current Water Use (2022-2024) by Customer Type54
Significant progress in system efficiencies and water conservation have been made in the
last two decades. Between 2000 and 2024, water demand decreased by 23.5%. Per capita
water demand in the system decreased from 285 gallons per day (GPD) in 2000 to 179 GPD
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 25
in 2024. Savings have been observed across all customers and in both indoor and outdoor
water uses. Institutional customers have seen the largest reduction in total use, largely due
to conservation efforts in parks, golf courses, and other open spaces.
Continued and increased conservation efforts are critical to meet future water demand. By
2060, customers will have to reduce water use by 18.7%. Without additional conservation
efforts, water demand in Salt Lake City could exceed supply by 14% by 2060. The 2025
Water Conservation Plan proposes multiple conservation strategies to meet this goal.55
Even more ambitious conservation goals are needed to protect the Great Salt Lake. The
2025 Water Conservation Plan projects that by 2060 water use must be reduced by up to
24% to maintain and improve water levels of the Great Salt Lake.
The impacts of climate change on water demand and supply will be continuously
monitored and assessed, and SLC’s water conservation goals will have to be adjusted as
needed to address these impacts. The climate-related risks to SLC’s water supply are
described in Climate Hazards and Vulnerability Assessment Chapter.
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 26
Climate Hazards &
Vulnerability Assessment
Key Takeaways for Climate Forward SLC
Salt Lake City’s climate risks are primarily driven by rising temperatures,
which are increasing evaporation, dry spells, and wildfires, and fueling more
intense short-lived rainfall events and elevated flood risk.
Our region ranks among the top three metropolitan areas in the nation for
urban heat island intensity, posing serious risks to public health,
infrastructure, natural ecosystems, and food systems.
As one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., Salt Lake City faces
complex urban planning challenges. Our climate strategies will need to
support growth and affordability while reducing climate pollution, increasing
and enhancing green space, conserving water, and improving community
resilience to heat, drought, and other climate impacts.
CLIMATE HAZARDS AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 27
SLC’s low-income communities are more vulnerable to climate hazards
and related health impacts due to socio-economic conditions, geography,
pollution exposure, and inadequate infrastructure. These factors must be
addressed in climate planning and resilience efforts.
Climate Hazards
SLC is uniquely vulnerable to climate change due to its distinctive geography, unique
ecological systems, arid climate, and rapid urban growth. The city is nestled in a mountain
valley between the Wasatch and Oquirrh ranges and adjacent to the Great Salt Lake—the
largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere and a critical habitat along the Pacific
Flyway for migratory birds. As a semi-arid area with hot, dry summers and limited
precipitation outside of winter snowfall, SLC is especially prone to drought and to high
water demand for landscaping. Due to its location within a mountain basin, pollutants and
dust often become trapped in the valley. Dust comes from neighboring deserts and
exposed playas of dried lakebeds, including the Great Salt Lake..
The city’s land cover—dominated by impervious, heat-absorbing surfaces like concrete
and asphalt and lacking sufficient vegetation—intensifies the urban heat island effect and
increases flood risk due to reduced natural water absorption. As one of the fastest-growing
cities in the U.S., driven by strong economic activity, Salt Lake City faces mounting
pressure on its limited water resources, rising energy demands, and expanding urban
development. This rapid growth leads to habitat loss, increased pollution, and
infrastructure expansion, all of which compound the region’s exposure and sensitivity to
climate-related hazards.
Analysis done for the 2019 Salt Lake County Hazard Mitigation Plan56 examined different
climate hazards affecting Salt Lake City, their likelihood of occurrence based on past
events and their potential impacts on population, properties, and the economy. In Salt
Lake City, the plan identified the most probable climate hazards as severe weather,
including extreme heat and severe winter weather, followed by flooding, wildfire, and
drought. However, when considering potential impacts, flooding and wildfire posed the
greatest threats. The following sections explore the major climate hazards currently
affecting Salt Lake City, assess their future likelihood, and examine their potential impacts
along with key community considerations.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 28
Extreme Heat & Urban Heat Island Effect
CURRENT CONDITIONS
SLC is getting significantly warmer (Figure 6),57 with recent years bringing record-breaking
temperatures.58 Average summer temperatures are now 3.9°F higher than the 1895
average59. Over the last thirty years, the number of days with temperatures exceeding 90°F
has risen from 13 to 32.60 Heat waves—prolonged periods of unusually high
temperatures—are also becoming longer, with the likelihood of a heat wave lasting more
than three days increasing from 17% thirty years ago to 57% today.61
The city ranks among the top three U.S. metropolitan areas—alongside Miami and
Louisville—for urban heat island (UHI) intensity,62 a phenomenon where urban areas are
significantly warmer than surrounding rural regions due to human-made surfaces and
infrastructure. Important contributing factors include dark, heat-absorbing materials, and
limited vegetation.63 Salt Lake City is particularly vulnerable to heat due to its high
percentage of impervious surfaces like concrete and asphalt, combined with low
vegetation cover, resulting in reduced natural cooling and placing the city in the 98th
percentile nationally for UHI risk.64
Figure 6. Salt Lake City’s Warming Climate. SLC’s annual average temperature
increases (red shades) or decreases (blue shades) relative to the 1901–2000 average
(highlighted in the black box)65
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IMPACTS
Rising temperatures in Utah are disrupting water systems and ecosystems, particularly
through shifting winter precipitation from snow to rain—reducing snowpack66— and
contributing to earlier snowmelt. Although the winters of 2022-23 and 2023-24 brought
above-average snowfall, long-term trends show a decline in snowpack,67 threatening water
supplies and seasonal cycles. Early snowmelt limits summer water availability, affecting
native plants, wildlife migration, and hibernation patterns. Alpine habitats may shrink as
tree species shift upslope, while warmer streams endanger cold-water fish like the native
cutthroat trout and contribute to harmful algal blooms like those seen in the Jordan river
recently.68 Forests are also increasingly vulnerable to pests such as bark beetles due to
heat and drought stress.
Human health, infrastructure, and food systems are also being impacted. Rising
temperatures increase the risk of heat-related illnesses, especially for outdoor workers,
with 11 heat-related deaths reported in Salt Lake County between 2019 and 2024.69
Extreme heat strains the power grid, raising the risk of outages due to increased air
conditioning use.70 Heat also worsens drought, wildfire risk, and air pollution, including
smoke and ground-level ozone.71,72 Warming trends and erratic weather reduce crop yields
and quality, increase water demand, intensify pest and disease pressures, and raise
production costs, compromising both local and nonlocal food production. Strains to
infrastructure and the power grid can cause disruptions in food supply chains that lead to
spoilage and waste, decreased availability, and increased prices, which may worsen food
insecurity.
ECONOMIC COSTS
Heat waves pose serious threats to public health and the economy. Each summer, the U.S.
spends an estimated $1 billion on heat-related healthcare expenses.73 Infrastructure is
also vulnerable, as most roads are not built to withstand extreme temperatures, leading to
increased maintenance and replacement expenses.74 In 2024, global income losses due to
reduced labor capacity from extreme heat reached an estimated $1.09 trillion,75
highlighting the growing economic toll of rising temperatures. Additionally, higher-than-
average temperatures during the 2017–2018 season led to a 26% drop in snowfall across
the Rocky Mountain region, resulting in a 9.6% decline in Utah ski visits and a $109 million
decrease in ski and snowboard spending.76 As warming trends continue, similar impacts on
winter recreation and tourism are likely to reoccur.
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PROJECTIONS
Projections estimate that Salt Lake City will see around 53 days per year with temperatures
exceeding 90°F in the 2035-2064 period—nearly double the average from 1976 to 2005.77
These high temperatures pose significant health risks, especially for vulnerable
populations.78 Salt Lake City is expected to rank above the 85th percentile nationally for
vulnerability to extreme daily maximum and yearly average temperatures by 2050.79
COMMUNITY CONSIDERATIONS
Rising temperatures in Salt Lake City are not affecting all residents equally. Low-income
communities—especially those on the city’s Westside—are disproportionately exposed to
extreme heat (Figure 7). As of 2024, 57% of low-income census tracts experience above-
average temperatures, compared to 41% of non-low-income tracts.80 These disparities are
tied to environmental conditions: low-income neighborhoods have less tree cover
compared to more affluent communities (18% vs. 25%81) and also have more impervious
surfaces (Table 4),82 which trap heat and contribute to higher local temperatures and ozone
levels.
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Figure 7. Heat Severity Map. Heat severity in Salt Lake City is rated on a scale from 1 to
5, with the darkest red areas significantly hotter than the average83
Category Indicator
% of Census Tracts,
Low-Income
% of Census Tracts,
Non-Low-Income
Housing Housing Burden 73 9
Housing Impervious surface 47 25
Pollution Proximity to hazardous waste 73 7
Pollution Proximity to NPL/Superfund
sites
100 95
Pollution Proximity to Risk Management
Plan facilities
60 16
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 32
Category Indicator
% of Census Tracts,
Low-Income
% of Census Tracts,
Non-Low-Income
Pollution Toxic releases 87 45
Health Asthma in adults 100 27
Health Low life expectancy 40 14
Workforce Linguistic Isolation 67 11
Workforce No High School Degree 73 2
Table 4. Low Income Population Burdened by Disparities and Impacts. Percent of
census tracts in Salt Lake City that are ranked at or above the 80th national percentile
for each indicator within the categories of burden84
Drought and the Shrinking Great Salt Lake
CURRENT CONDITIONS
While total statewide precipitation in Utah has remained relatively stable since 1895,85
rising temperatures have intensified drought conditions, especially in the southwestern
U.S. Over the past two decades, increasing temperatures have intensified the
atmosphere’s evaporative demand or its capacity to store water.86 This shift has
contributed to a megadrought—the driest period in over 1,200 years.87 Since 2000, Salt
Lake City has experienced drought conditions during 71% of weeks, with 15% classified as
extreme or exceptional (Figure 8).88 Notably, evaporation driven by higher temperatures
accounted for 61% of the drought’s severity between 2020 and 2022, making it a more
significant factor than reduced precipitation. 89
The shrinking of the Great Salt Lake is largely the result of human-driven water diversions,
which are responsible for 67–73% of the lake’s total water loss,90 with agricultural use being
the primary contributor (65%), followed by municipal and industrial water use (18%),
wetland management (8%), Great Salt Lake mineral extraction (8%), and reservoir
evaporation (1%). Statewide, agricultural water diversions are primarily used to produce
forage and feed crops, particularly for cattle.91 The majority of agricultural water diversions
occur outside of the Salt Lake region. Salt Lake City does not provide significant water to
agricultural uses.
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In comparison, evaporation contributes a smaller share (8–11%) of Great Salt Lake water
diversions, while natural variability, including changes in precipitation and runoff efficiency,
accounts for the remaining 15–23%.92 The lake’s current water level stands at 4,191 feet,
which is seven feet below the healthy threshold, leaving 54% of the lakebed exposed.93
Figure 8. Drought Conditions by Week, 2000 to 2025. Weekly percentage area of the
Salt Lake City-West Valley City experiencing drought from 2000 to 2025.94
IMPACTS
Salt Lake City is facing intensifying drought challenges, driven by rapid population growth
and rising temperatures. Drought impacts include water restrictions, increased costs, and
growing competition between agricultural, landscaping, and other human water needs. The
shrinking Great Salt Lake worsens regional drought by weakening the lake effect, which is
critical for generating heavy snowstorms that support Utah’s water supply, economy, and
ski industry.95 The lake’s declining water levels also pose serious threats to biodiversity and
public health. Dust from the exposed lakebed darkens mountain snow, accelerating
snowmelt and shortening the snow season while diminishing the snowpack’s role as a
natural reservoir.96 Drought also raises wildfire risk and smoke exposure, worsening air
quality.
Over 10 million migratory birds depend on brine shrimp in the Great Salt Lake,97 but rising
salinity threatens shrimp populations and bird survival.98 Shrinking wetlands degrade
habitats and allow invasive species like Phragmites australis to spread,99 while warm,
nutrient-rich waters increase the risk of harmful algal blooms.100
Exposed lakebed sediments can bring high levels of air pollutants like fine particulate
matter (PM10 and PM2.5), to nearby communities, posing health risks.101,102 Sediments from
the exposed lakebed have elevated levels of arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals.
However, a recent analysis of historical data by the Utah Division of Air Quality shows no
increase in airborne arsenic and other heavy metals as lake levels have decreased.103 The
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analysis also found that heavy metal concentrations in sediment dust are below health
standards. Research into the health impacts of the lakebed sediments is ongoing.104
Additionally, the Great Salt Lake has become a major source of greenhouse gas emissions,
releasing 4.1 million tons in 2020 due to soil drying and microbial activity.105 These
emissions were not included in the current greenhouse gas inventory and are projected to
increase as temperatures continue to rise. If the lake were to fully dry up, annual emissions
could reach 7.1 million tons, further intensifying regional climate impacts.106
PROJECTIONS
SLC is projected to have a slight increase in average annual total precipitation107 that will
likely be offset by rising temperatures and higher evaporation rates.108 Days per year with no
precipitation are projected to increase by four in 2050 from 232 in 2005.109 But available
evidence suggests that drought will become increasingly frequent and severe due to
projected air temperature and evaporation increases.110 Continued decrease in snowpack
is expected into the foreseeable future. Due primarily to increasing air temperature, the
proportion of precipitation that falls as snow will continue to decline.111
ECONOMIC COSTS
Drought has had significant economic impacts in Utah, particularly in agriculture and
tourism. The 2002 drought was estimated to contribute to a total job loss of 6,110 workers
and $120 million in income, with agricultural losses reaching $150 million (or $250 million
in 2023 dollars).112 Ranchers faced severe financial strain, often selling livestock at low
prices without profit. Future droughts are expected to cause even greater losses if
conditions worsen. The ski industry, a vital part of Utah’s winter economy, is also
vulnerable; during the 2017–2018 season, reduced snowfall led to a 9.6% drop in ski visits
and a $109 million decline in spending. Additionally, the brine shrimp industry could lose
up to $67 million annually.113 The economic impact to the brine shrimp industry would also
impact global food supply. The Utah industry produces 40-45% of the global supply of brine
shrimp, enabling the production of over 10 million metric tons of seafood globally.114
Mineral extraction industries could face over $1 billion in losses and more than 5,000 job
cuts if the Great Salt Lake’s decline continues.115
COMMUNITY CONSIDERATIONS
Water management practices mitigate drought hazards, as water is moved from water-rich
mountainous areas to arid, low-lying areas. However, the desiccation of the Great Salt Lake
and resulting dust storms represent an acute threat especially for minority populations,
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including Hispanic and Pacific Islander communities in northern Salt Lake City, who will be
disproportionately exposed because of residential and employment patterns.116
Additionally, low-income neighborhoods in Salt Lake City are already vulnerable to air
pollution, with all the low-income census tracts ranking above the 80th percentile for
asthma prevalence (Table 3).
Precipitation and Flooding
CURRENT CONDITIONS
Salt Lake City is experiencing more frequent and intense short-duration rainfall events,
driven by warmer air that holds more moisture. In October 2025, the city recorded its
highest single-day rainfall in over 124 years,117 highlighting this trend. These heavy
downpours can overwhelm stormwater systems, as seen during the 2025 event that
caused localized flooding and property damage in the Rose Park neighborhood. SLC’s
urban development has intensified flood risks, with many neighborhoods built along
natural waterways and floodplains now constrained by narrow canals and impermeable
surfaces like asphalt and concrete.
Additional factors compound the city’s vulnerability. Some areas lie above shallow
groundwater, which can rise during heavy precipitation, leading to flooding.118 Rising levels
of the Great Salt Lake—if they reach 4,210 feet—could also threaten critical
infrastructure.119 The region’s steep slopes and snowmelt contribute to rapid runoff, while
prolonged droughts have left soils dry and compacted, reducing their ability to absorb rain.
As a result, surface runoff increases, heightening flood risks. Warmer winters are also
shifting precipitation patterns, with more moisture falling as rain instead of snow, further
accelerating runoff and flood potential. Currently, 39% of Salt Lake City’s census tracts
rank above the 78th percentile for flood vulnerability, and 56% have at least some level of
risk.120
IMPACTS
Climate change is intensifying environmental hazards in Salt Lake City, with more
precipitation falling as rain instead of snow, accelerated snowmelt, increased spring
runoff, increasing the risk of flooding. These effects, combined with the city's steep terrain
and unstable geologic materials, increases the risk of landslides.121 Rapid snowmelt can
also leave less time for water to soak into the ground, resulting in drier soil later in the
summer and higher wildfire risk.122
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Additionally, extreme precipitation events impact local food production by damaging crops,
and eroding and polluting soils. Significant precipitation or flooding can lower yields and
increase waste, increasing financial risk for local farmers and gardeners and raising costs
to consumers. These events also pose significant risks to infrastructure, as water damage
can quickly lead to mold, structural instability, and power outages, especially in older
neighborhoods with above-ground utilities.
PROJECTIONS
By 2050, Salt Lake City is projected to receive 0.4 to 0.7 inches more precipitation
annually.123 However, this modest increase will likely be offset by rising temperatures and
higher evaporation rates.124 In the next 30 years, nearly 30% of properties in the city are at
risk of flooding.125 The areas along the Jordan River, near the Great Salt Lake, and at the
base of the Wasatch Mountains are expected to face the highest flood risks (Figure 9). This
underscores the vulnerability of a significant portion of Salt Lake City's built environment to
future climate impacts.
ECONOMIC COSTS
While Salt Lake County is currently ranked as having a moderate flood hazard,126 flooding
remains the most frequent, costly, and destructive natural hazard in Utah.127 Since 1923, 16
major flood events have caused over $1.3 trillion in damage.128 Despite these risks, only 3%
of Utahns carry flood insurance, even though just one inch of water can cause up to
$25,000 in home damage.129
COMMUNITY CONSIDERATIONS
Flooding disproportionately affects low-income communities: 40% of low-income census
tracts are at or above the 80th national percentile and are projected to face flood risk in 30
years, compared to just 20% of more affluent census tracts.130
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Figure 9. Map of Projected Flood Risks. Flooding risk in Salt Lake City for 2050.131
Wildfires
CURRENT CONDITIONS
Salt Lake City faces a higher wildfire likelihood than 92% of U.S. communities132 due to its
proximity to dry wildlands, hot and dry summers, frequent winds, and steep terrain that
accelerates fire spread.133 The City’s wildfire risk is influenced by annual variations in
vegetation, snowpack, precipitation, soil moisture, and temperature. Since the 1970s,
wildfire seasons in the western U.S. have become longer and more severe. In Utah, the fire
season has expanded from 82 days in the 1970s to 182 days in the 2000s, with average fire
duration increasing from 3 to 41 days.134 While wildfire exposure in Salt Lake City varies by
location, the highest risks are concentrated in foothill neighborhoods and areas near
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wildlands (Figure 10). Notably, over half of Utah’s wildfires are human-caused,135 making
prevention and public education essential tools in reducing future fire risk.
IMPACTS
Wildfire poses serious risks to Salt Lake City’s air, water, and overall environmental
health—even in urban areas less likely to experience direct fire damage. Smoke from
surrounding fires spreads across the valley, exposing all communities to harmful pollutants
like PM2.5, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, and ozone.136
Despite recent improvements in PM2.5 levels, increasing wildfire smoke threatens to reverse
progress,137 especially as Salt Lake City remains a non-attainment area for ozone and ranks
ninth worst in the U.S. for ozone pollution.138 These pollutants are linked to respiratory and
cardiovascular diseases, and premature death.139 Wildfires also degrade water quality by
increasing runoff of sediment, nutrients, and heavy metals into reservoirs, straining
treatment systems and infrastructure140—many of which are located in high-risk zones.141
Additionally, wildfires can disrupt food production, raise prices, and negatively impact
tourism and recreation, further compounding their economic and environmental toll.
PROJECTIONS
Longer and more severe wildfire seasons are expected to worsen in Salt Lake City as
climate change drives earlier snowmelt, reduced snowpack, and prolonged droughts.142
Approximately 24% of properties in Salt Lake City face wildfire risk over the next 30 years,143
with 14 census tracts ranking above the 90th percentile nationally for properties at risk
during that same period.144 Continued development in foothill and mountain areas is
placing more people and homes in high-risk zones. By 2050, Salt Lake City is projected to
rank in the 80th percentile nationally for PM2.5 vulnerability,145 underscoring the growing
threat to air quality from more frequent and intense wildfires.
ECONOMIC COSTS
Wildfires carry substantial economic costs, including damage to property and
infrastructure, business interruptions, supply chain disruptions, and rising healthcare and
insurance expenses. Recovery and rebuilding efforts further strain state and local budgets.
Overall, the annual economic toll of wildfires in the U.S.—including losses from property
damage, health impacts, watershed degradation, and insurance payouts—is estimated at
$394 to $893 billion.146 Wildfires are also expensive to suppress, with each ignition
averaging $29,600.147 The 2024 Sandhurst Fire in Salt Lake City cost $980,000 to contain.148
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Figure 10. Map of Wildfire Probability. Current annual wildfire burn probability in Salt
Lake City.149
COMMUNITY CONSIDERATIONS
Although wildfire smoke spreads across the Salt Lake Valley, its impact is not felt equally.
Certain demographic groups—particularly low-income communities—are more vulnerable
to the health effects of smoke, compounding existing environmental and health disparities.
These communities often live in less airtight homes, lack access to costly air purifiers, and
face barriers to healthcare despite higher rates of respiratory illnesses like asthma (Table
4). Individuals who work outside, such as landscapers, construction workers, and farmers,
are also at high risk for negative health effects from smoke exposure.
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Air Quality
CURRENT CONDITIONS
Airborne particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), measuring 2.5 to 10 micrometers or smaller,
originates from sources such as vehicle emissions, industrial activities, mining,
construction, roadways, wildfires, and increasingly from exposed lakebeds, including the
Great Salt Lake and Sevier Lake. 150, 151, 152 Although Salt Lake City has recently been
reclassified to attainment for PM2.5 federal health standards, it remains among the 25 U.S.
regions most impacted by short-term PM2.5 pollution.153
Ozone pollution is a major health concern along the Wasatch Front, with the Salt Lake City
metro area ranking ninth worst in the U.S. in 2025154 and designated as a nonattainment
area due to exceedances of the federal health standards.155 Formed by reactions between
nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in sunlight, ozone is
primarily a summertime issue. Despite significant NOₓ reductions since 2000, ozone levels
have only slightly declined, indicating the region is VOC-limited.156 Effective mitigation
requires reducing both NOₓ and VOC emissions, which stem from traffic, off-road engines
(particularly two-stroke landscaping equipment), biogenic sources, personal care
products, industrial solvents, and biomass burning.157 Local geography and the Great Salt
Lake further influence ozone distribution through transported precursors, reflective
surfaces, and breezes that trap pollution, creating east-west variation across the valley.158,
159, 160
Air pollution has been a persistent challenge in the Wasatch Front since the arrival of the
early settlers in the 1850s.161 However, recent regulatory efforts and technological
advancements have led to significant emissions reductions, even as the region’s
population has grown. Figure 11 shows total emissions of key criteria pollutants (CO, NOx,
PM10, PM2.5, and VOCs) per source category in Salt Lake County compared to population
trends. Between 1996 and 2020, total emissions declined by 41% while the population
increased by 39%. The reductions are largely driven by decreases in on-road and non-road
emissions (i.e. vehicles and off-road engines) resulting from improved emission control
technologies, better fuel efficiency, and the introduction of Tier 3 low-sulfur fuel.
Continued population growth and climate change may put pressure on recent emission
reduction trends, but this progress shows that meaningful improvements can be achieved
by implementing effective policies and deploying cleaner technologies .162
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IMPACTS
Airborne particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and ozone pose significant environmental and
health risks in the Salt Lake Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). PM2.5, which can penetrate
deep into the lungs and bloodstream, is linked to increased rates of cardiovascular,
respiratory, and neurological diseases, as well as a 42% higher rate of asthma-related
emergency visits. Ozone and PM2.5 have been linked to increased school absences.163, 164
Dust from exposed lakebeds, including the Great Salt Lake, often contain toxic elements
such as arsenic, mercury, and lead, compounding health concerns.165 Encouragingly,
recent data indicate that regulatory measures may be mitigating further increases in heavy
metal concentrations.166, 167 In addition to health impacts, dust accelerates snowmelt by
settling on regional snowpack, creating further environmental challenges.
Air pollution is also hindering economic development and costs Utah $1.9 billion costs
annually. This economic impact is due to healthcare expenses, damage to crops, lost
earning potential, as well as indirect costs, such as loss of tourism, and decreased
economic growth and business investment in our region.168
COMMUNITY CONSIDERATIONS
The west side of the valley carries the worst burdens as air quality monitors show the most
polluted hotspots169 (Figure 12) and pollution exposure has been shown to
disproportionally affect socioeconomically disadvantaged schools.170 This is due, in part,
to the interstate highways and rail lines that run through the area; concentration of various
industries; dense clustering of warehouses and associated activity of heavy-duty diesel
trucks; and the jet engines from the Salt Lake City International Airport.171 Dust
concentrations are highest on the west side of Salt Lake County, near the Oquirrh
Mountains, close to Rio Tinto Kennecott’s Bingham Copper Mine, the smelter, and the
Black Rock gravel pit (Figure 13). Ozone pollution also exhibits significant spatial variation
across the valley, with elevated levels near the southeastern edge of the Great Salt Lake,
coinciding with many low-income census tracts (Figure 14).
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Figure 11. Total emissions of select criteria pollutants compared to population of Salt
Lake County over time.172173
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Figure 12. Percentile of PM2.5 exposure per census tract compared to other tracts in
Salt Lake County.174
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Figure 13. PM10 emission point sources in Salt Lake City.175
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Figure 14. Percentile of ozone exposure per census tract compared to other tracts in
Salt Lake County.176
Indoor Air Pollution
CURRENT CONDITIONS
Utah, especially Salt Lake County, relies heavily on natural gas for space heating, water
heating, and cooking, with 75% of low-income households depending on it.177 While
furnaces and water heaters typically vent outdoors, gas stoves release pollutants like
nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and benzene directly into indoor air.178 These emissions
can worsen respiratory conditions and have been linked to increased cancer risks179 and
childhood asthma180, 181—particularly in smaller homes with poor ventilation.182 Many
households lack effective exhaust systems, and even existing hoods often recirculate air
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instead of venting it outside.183 In addition, radon—a naturally occurring radioactive gas—
can accumulate indoors without visible signs, posing serious health risks—including lung
cancer. Although Utah has the nation’s lowest smoking rate, lung cancer remains the
leading cause of cancer death in the state.184 Alarmingly, about one-third of Utah homes
are at high risk for elevated radon levels, with 37% of Salt Lake City homes with unsafe
radon levels.185
COMMUNITY CONSIDERATIONS
Low-income households in the Salt Lake City MSA are more vulnerable to indoor air
pollution because these homes are usually older with poorly ventilated stoves, limited
insulation from the outside air, and outdated appliances.186 These families often lack
resources for maintenance and may use kitchen appliances for extra heating, increasing
exposure to harmful pollutants.187 Low-income communities are especially vulnerable to
poor indoor air quality due to higher rates of underlying health conditions and limited
healthcare access.188 Despite the danger that radon represents, public awareness remains
low, especially in low-income and rural communities that often lack the resources for
testing. While professional radon mitigation can cost between $1,800 and $2,200, many
companies do not offer financing options.189
Baseline Vulnerability Assessment
While most climate hazards are expected to affect both low-income and more affluent
communities in Salt Lake City similarly, low-income neighborhoods face heightened
vulnerability due to several compounding factors. The U.S. Climate Vulnerability Index190
(CVI) ranks Salt Lake City at the 45th percentile nationally, indicating average overall
vulnerability. However, the city ranks above the 80th percentile for pollution, followed by
socio-economic and health factors (Figure 15).
The Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool191 from the White House Council on
Environmental Quality differs from the CVI in some of its indicators but highlights similar
areas of concern—particularly in the categories of health, air pollution, pollution sources,
land use, and transportation. For both indices, individual variables exceeding the 80th
national percentile include limited access to preventive healthcare (e.g., mammogram and
routine doctor visits), elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide and ozone, proximity to National
Priority List (NPL)/Superfund sites, brownfields, hazardous waste, risk management plan
facilities, and chemical manufacturers, as well as high per capita truck vehicle miles
traveled. These factors contribute to increased exposure to harmful air, water, and soil
pollution, ultimately reducing public health outcomes for already vulnerable populations.
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Figure 15. Salt Lake City’s Climate Vulnerability Index Rankings. Vulnerabilities across
Salt Lake City census tracts as national percentiles for low-income and more affluent
communities.
As shown in Table 4, low-income census tracts are more likely to have higher burdens on
many key indicators compared to non-low-income tracts. For example, they typically have
more impervious surfaces and less vegetation, making them more susceptible to rising
temperatures. Additionally, their proximity to pollution sources—such as railroads,
highways, warehouses, the airport, and the Great Salt Lake—exposes residents to higher
levels of harmful air pollutants like ozone and dust, which contribute to respiratory
illnesses. Asthma is already a significant concern, with all of SLC’s low-income census
tracts ranking above the 80th percentile nationally for adult asthma prevalence. Another
area of concern is low life expectancy, with almost half of low-income census tracts
ranking above the 80th national percentile. And most low-income census tracts in SLC are
also cost-burdened, with 11 low-income census tracts spending more than 30% of their
income on housing expenses, with their ability to overcome financial barriers complicated
by linguistic isolation and lack of high school education.
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Community GHG Inventory
Key Takeaways for Climate Forward SLC
Community greenhouse gas emissions fell 11% from 2009 to 2024, driven
primarily by a 30% drop in the carbon intensity of electricity generation as the
electric grid shifted toward cleaner energy resources.
Per capita emissions declined 25% from 2009 to 2024, illustrating that local
economic and population growth have been partially decoupled from
emissions.
Electricity remains the largest contributor to community GHGs at 40% in
2024, followed by natural gas in buildings (29%) and on-road transportation
(22%).
Achieving the City’s target of an 80% reduction in GHGs by 2040 will hinge
on accelerated uptake of decarbonization solutions, including the
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continued shift to renewable energy sources for electricity generation coupled
with the electrification of buildings and vehicles.
Overview
The most common benchmark for community climate planning and goal
setting is locally produced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Salt Lake City
has been tracking its GHGs for over 15 years and has a goal to reduce
emissions from a 2009 baseline by at least 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2040.
Local GHGs come from a variety of sources, including electricity and natural gas used in
buildings and facilities, fuels combusted for on-road transportation and air travel, plus
emissions from solid waste as it decomposes in the landfill.
The SLC GHG inventory is measured in metric tons of carbon-dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e)
emissions and these have decreased from 5,389,912 MTCO2e in 2009 to 4,808,040
MTCO2e in 2024. This 11% decline is depicted in Figure 16. Nearly all of the emissions
reductions are attributable to electricity use where a cleaner electric grid (due to shifts
away from coal to natural gas, solar, and wind energy) produced a 30% reduction in
electricity sector GHG emissions between 2009 and 2024. More context on electricity and
all other sectors in the GHG inventory are included in sections below.
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Figure 16. Salt Lake City Community GHG Emissions from 2009-24.
Figure 17 reflects the relative share of GHG emissions for each key sector. Electricity
remains the largest contributor at 40% of total GHGs, but this is a decline from 2009 when
electricity represented 51% of emissions in the community inventory. Every other sector
has grown its relative share of emissions since 2009 with natural gas use in buildings and
on-road transportation both increasing their relative share by four percent to 29% and 22%
respectively. Future emissions in both of these sectors are inherently tied to the electric
grid as the opportunity to retrofit buildings with efficient electric equipment such as heat
pumps and the opportunity to transition to electric cars each represents technologically
and economically feasible ways to significantly cut GHGs.
Other sectors include air travel, which is estimated based on a proportion of airline trips
attributable to the local SLC community, along with solid waste disposal at the landfill. Air
travel emissions for the community have gone up an estimated 37% since 2009, whereas
solid waste GHGs have declined slightly due to improved recycling and other waste
diversion efforts.
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Figure 17. Salt Lake City Community GHG Emissions by sector in 2024.
One key driver of changes in energy use and emissions is population growth. Salt Lake City
experienced an estimated growth in local population of 19% from 2009 to 2024. Figure 18
reflects per capita local GHG emissions, which have declined 25% over the past 15 years.
This has been a period of notable growth in the built environment and economy within SLC
and these emissions reductions illustrate how a community can thrive while still mitigating
GHGs.
To achieve SLC’s 2040 community GHG target, per capita emissions will need to be
reduced by an estimated 81% from their current levels. This target is technically within
reach through accelerated deployment of currently available technologies such as
renewable energy, beneficial electrification of buildings and vehicles, energy efficiency,
and smart transportation that also promotes clean air in the community. Additional details
on these positive shifts, along with a goal-achievement emissions trajectory for each
sector, are detailed elsewhere in the climate plan.
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Figure 18. Salt Lake City Community Per Capita GHG Emissions and 2040 Target.
Emissions from Buildings
The largest contributor to the SLC community carbon footprint is energy
used in buildings and other facilities.
Electricity and natural gas combined produce 69% of 2024 community GHGs, with
electricity making up 58% of this total for buildings. Electricity used by electric vehicles
(EVs) and other equipment is part of this category and is represented based on where
vehicle and equipment charging took place (e.g., home, work, etc.).
Reductions in electricity emissions represent the most positive story thus far for the
community carbon footprint. Figure 19 illustrates how these emissions fell for every
building category where electricity is consumed due to a lower-carbon electric grid. Energy
efficiency helped reduce emissions and save customers money, but upward pressure on
energy use due to population changes and economic growth mitigates these positive
effects and led to annual electricity and natural gas use being similar in 2024 to what it was
in 2009.
Commercial buildings continue to be the largest consumer of electricity, and producer of
related emissions, and represent 66% of the electricity emissions total in 2024. This is
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followed by residential energy users and industrial facilities which respectively produced
20% and 14% of GHG emissions from electricity in 2024.
Figure 19. SLC Community Electricity GHG Emissions by Customer Category.
Electricity emissions declined from 2009-24 due to a cleaner electric grid as renewable
energy and lower carbon-intensity fuels now make up a larger share of the power mix for
Rocky Mountain Power’s parent company, PacifiCorp. The shift to cleaner electricity has
primarily been driven by improved economics for renewable energy such as wind and solar
power, which are now often lower cost to construct and operate than fossil fuel power
plants.
PacifiCorp publishes long range forecasts for electricity generation and associated
emissions in its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). The most recent IRP published in 2025
reflects ongoing investment in renewable energy, but there remains a disconnect between
planned investments and clean energy outcomes needed to achieve Climate Forward SLC
goals. To address this gap, Salt Lake City is partnering with 18 other local governments
throughout the state to develop the Utah Renewable Communities (URC) program, also
known as the Community Clean Energy Program, which aims for net-100% renewable
electricity by 2030. This outcome would accelerate pollution reduction and better align
with local goals. A sustained focus on URC, coupled with ongoing participation in state
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energy regulatory proceedings, will be foundational to timely pollution reduction and GHG
target achievement.
Figure 20 reflects total electricity use from 2009-24 on the left-hand axis and shows that
annual electricity use was essentially flat for the community, changing by 0.01% for these
bookend years. However, the line graph and right-hand axis illustrate a different story for
emissions from the electric grid where the carbon intensity of electricity produced dropped
by 30% between 2009 and 2024 for PacifiCorp. The ability of cleaner electricity to drive
down overall community GHG emissions is a critically important outcome and supports
The City’s ongoing investment in the Utah Renewable Communities program and other
efforts to expand renewable energy development.
Figure 20. SLC Community Electricity GHG Emissions and Electric Grid Emissions
Factor.
It is essential to scrutinize which electricity customer types are utilizing the most energy in
order to envision programs and other solutions that move the needle on emissions in the
near-term. Figure 21 displays the relative amount of electricity used in 2024 for each
customer category and reveals that commercial customers were the biggest user, with
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 55
roughly two-thirds of all electricity use in Salt Lake City, followed by residential (20%) and
then industrial and other customers (14%).
This breakdown illustrates that efficient energy use in both homes and non-residential
properties can drive down GHG emissions. As the electric grid continues to become
cleaner, encouraging electrification within all these customer segments will also be an
important strategy to shift away from the onsite combustion of fossil fuels.
Figure 21. SLC Electricity Use in 2024 by Customer Category.
A notably positive story related to electricity use is the reduction in energy consumed per
residential customer. Figure 22 depicts a drop in electricity use per household of 5%
between 2009 and 2024. This reduction can be attributed to improved energy efficiency,
likely including denser residential development which tends to reduce energy use and
decrease utility bills for households.
Electricity use per household in the future may trend upwards as efficient electric
technologies such as heat pumps and electric vehicles gain market share. However, this
will be a positive outcome for GHGs and local air quality as ongoing electrification will
reduce emissions relative to directly burning fossil fuels.
COMMUNITY GHG INVENTORY
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 56
Figure 22. SLC Electricity Use Per Residential Customer.
Natural gas combusted in buildings and facilities, plus to a lesser degree within vehicles, is
another large contributor to SLC community GHGs. These emissions increased slightly
between 2009 and 2024, rising by roughly 2%.
Figure 23 reflects a trendline for GHG emissions by customer type and, as noted in the
Overview section, natural gas now represents 29% of total community GHGs. Annual
customer counts are not provided by the natural gas utility, so per customer averages are
not available.
COMMUNITY GHG INVENTORY
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 57
Figure 23. SLC Community Natural Gas GHG Emissions by Customer Category.
Non-residential customers utilized 81% of natural gas consumed within Salt Lake City in
2024. Figure 24 reflects the breakdown by customer type and, similar to electricity use,
demonstrates that properties other than homes are important to engage with solutions.
Additionally, the total use of natural gas in non-residential properties has experienced an
upward trend the past seven years, whereas residential properties have a flatter annual
usage pattern.
Natural gas use is strongly influenced by weather, with colder winters leading to more gas
use for space heating, so recent trends will be important to scrutinize going forward to
better understand the impact of outdoor temperatures relative to other factors such as new
development that determine usage.
Reducing natural gas emissions through energy efficiency, such as weatherization for
homes and other buildings, along with beneficial electrification that shifts energy use to the
electric grid will be key to mitigating pollution impacts and achieving an 80% community-
wide reduction of GHGs by 2040.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 58
Figure 24. SLC Natural Gas Use in 2024 by Customer Category.
Emissions from Transportation
On-road transportation contributed 22% of overall GHGs to the community
footprint in 2024.
This represents a relative increase from 2009 when on-road transportation was 18% of the
overall emissions inventory. As a stand-alone category, on-road transportation emissions
increased 10% from 2009 to 2024 and now produce over one million MTCO2e per year.
Figure 25 depicts the trend in estimated emissions, including a temporary fall during the
COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 when vehicle miles travelled (VMT) fell across the entire U.S.
GHG emissions were estimated utilizing Google Environmental Insights Explorer (EIE).
Google EIE data was not available for 2009-17, so this information was backcasted based
on local population trends. Similarly, 2024 data have been estimated based on population
while awaiting the latest annual release from Google EIE.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 59
Figure 25. SLC Community On-Road GHG Emissions.
Per capita on-road GHG emissions are experiencing a declining trend locally, falling by an
estimated 8% between 2009 and 2024. Further reductions are needed to meet the 2040
emissions goal with primary drivers being smart mobility and the electrification of
transportation. These positive shifts will not only reduce GHGs but also improve local air
quality and reduce vehicle operating costs.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 60
Figure 26. SLC Per Capita On-Road GHG Emissions.
Community air travel is another important aspect of transportation-related emissions and
represents 9% of overall 2024 GHGs for Salt Lake City. These emissions have increased
along with a growing population, plus more economic activity, and produced an estimated
408,558 MTCO2e in the latest year. The GHG footprint methodology adjusts total
enplanements at Salt Lake City International Airport to reflect a locally attributable share of
emissions for SLC residents. Similar to on-road transportation, GHGs from this category
slowed notably during COVID-19 as illustrated in Figure 27, but have since rebounded to
their largest figure to-date.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 61
Figure 27. SLC Community Air Travel GHG Emissions.
Emissions from Solid Waste
Solid waste is the smallest category within the framework of how SLC
calculates its community GHG emissions.192
In 2024, an estimated 13,586 MTCO2e were created from decomposing waste produced by
the community and disposed of at the landfill.
Figure 28 illustrates that emissions from residential waste have fallen by an estimated 33%
from 2009-24 while waste-related emissions produced by commercial and other properties
have increased during this time. In 2011, the City adopted a zero-waste resolution with a
goal to divert waste from the landfill for preferable uses such as recycling, composting,
biodigestion, and materials reuse. To support this goal, a waste characterization study is
currently being conducted by the SLC Waste and Recycling Division. Preliminary results
suggest numerous opportunities and strategies to increase diversion of organic and
recyclable materials, which could lead to further reductions in emissions.
COMMUNITY GHG INVENTORY
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 62
Figure 28. SLC Community Solid Waste GHG Emissions.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 63
Nexus to Regional Climate Planning
SLC leveraged grant funding from the EPA Climate Pollution
Reduction Grants program to conduct research and
engagement from 2023-25. This led to the publication of a
priority climate action plan (PCAP) and comprehensive climate
action plan (CCAP) for the Salt Lake City metro area, inclusive of
Salt Lake County and Tooele County.
These plans, collectively titled the Greater Salt Lake Area Clean Energy and
Air Roadmap (SL-CLEAR), detail regional strategies for reducing GHG
emissions. See more at the SL-CLEAR website.
The City was able to build off lessons learned from the SL-CLEAR effort,
including its community and stakeholder engagement, to inform creation of a local climate
plan. SLC will continue to engage with SL-CLEAR partners and harness the potential of
regional collaboration and solutions as it strives to reduce emissions and deliver
community benefits.
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 64
Public Input
Key Takeaways for Climate Forward SLC
City staff conducted robust community engagement to inform the climate
plan update, including a public survey, business survey, and intercept
surveys.
Survey respondents noted drought and lack of water as the top climate
concern, followed by air pollution, more wildfires and smoky days, and
extreme heat.
Respondents ranked reducing air pollution, shifting to clean energy, and
increasing trees and green space as their top priorities for city action.
Respondents expressed the most interest in city actions that reduce
climate pollution and that have multiple benefits.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 65
Most business survey respondents indicated considerable concern
around climate change’s impact on their businesses, particularly employee
health and safety, supply chain disruptions, and property and infrastructure
damage due to extreme weather.
Community Engagement Process
To inform the SLC Climate Action Plan update, city staff conducted a robust community
engagement process. This process included an online public survey, which received over
700 responses, an intercept survey of over 200 people, and a business engagement survey.
In addition, City staff also attended community events where they engaged over 400
attendees using a dot board and other interactive activities.
This section also incorporates feedback collected through other recent climate-related
engagement efforts. These additional data sources were analyzed to provide broader
context and enrich the insights gained from the Climate Forward SLC Survey. The
additional data sources include:
• Online survey for the SL-CLEAR Priority Climate Action Plan.193 Conducted in 2024.
Received over 900 responses from residents across the Salt Lake Metropolitan
Statistical Area.
• Community Electrified Transportation Study survey.194 Conducted in 2023. Received
over 800 responses primarily from Salt Lake City residents.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES OVERVIEW
The Climate Forward SLC Survey, open from July 25 to November 3, 2025, received 721
responses.
During the same period, City staff conducted 214 intercept surveys – abbreviated, in-
person versions of the online survey – at a variety of locations, such as community centers,
parks, and grocery stores.
City staff also participated in over a dozen community events, using interactive tabling
activities to engage with attendees. The primary activity was a dot board, where
participants could vote on which climate solutions the City should prioritize or deprioritize.
A spin-the-wheel game tested attendees’ knowledge of climate issues in a fun and
engaging way. More importantly, these activities served as conversation starters, helping
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 66
staff gather informal feedback and share information about the City’s ongoing climate
initiatives.
Figure 29. Distribution of online and intercept survey responses and locations of
tabling events and intercept surveys.
CLIMATE CHANGE PERCEPTIONS
Respondents generally felt informed about climate change and its impacts.
• Over 33% of online survey respondents indicated that they know a lot, 45% that they
know a fair amount, and 17% that they know some but not a lot.
• Intercept respondents were slightly less well-informed about climate change, 21%
indicating that they know a lot, 43% that they know a fair amount, and 26% that they
know some but not a lot.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 67
Respondents are most concerned about drought and lack of water, air pollution and
its impacts, more wildfires and smoky days, and extreme heat.
• Over 88% of online survey respondents indicated that they were concerned about
drought and lack of water, 85% about air pollution and its impacts, 75% about more
wildfires and smoky days, and 69% about extreme heat.
• Intercept survey respondents shared similar concerns, with 85% expressing
concern about air pollution, 84% about drought, 80% about extreme heat, and 71%
about wildfires.
In terms of City priorities, respondents ranked reducing air pollution, shifting to clean,
renewable energy, and increasing trees and green space as their top priorities.
• 88% of online survey respondents ranked reducing air pollution as very important,
and another 10% as somewhat important.
• 72% ranked shifting to clean, renewable energy as very important and 20% as
somewhat important.
• 69% ranked increasing trees and green space as very important and 27% as
somewhat important.
• Reducing crime and improving job opportunities were not ranked as highly as other
priorities, such as improving community health and lowering the cost of living.
Respondents expressed the most interest in city actions that reduce climate pollution
and in actions that provide multiple other benefits.
• 59% of online survey respondents indicated that actions that reduce climate
pollution were very important.
• 44% of respondents indicated that actions that have multiple benefits (for example,
reducing pollution, creating jobs, and saving money) were very important.
In both the online and intercept surveys when asked to share other climate priorities,
respondents touched on the need to reduce car usage, improve air quality, and
support the health of the Great Salt Lake.
• Respondents most frequently emphasized the need to reduce car usage in Salt Lake
City, citing concerns about pollution, safety, and urban quality, and called for
improvements in alternative transportation.
• Air quality and the health of the Great Salt Lake were recurring priorities, with calls
for aggressive action against polluting projects, reducing car/truck traffic, and
restoring lake water levels by buying back water rights and opposing diversions.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 68
• Respondents shared a desire for more equitable climate action, particularly for less
affluent areas.
“[I’m most concerned about the] compounded affect [sic] of lack of water in
the Great Salt Lake with pollution.” - Online Survey Respondent
“Quantify and monetize how climate change impacts cost Salt Lake City
residents in health care, economic and tax burdens, and quality of life.
Advocate for fossil fuels use reduction at the state legislature, Rocky
Mountain Power, and the Public Service Commission.” - Online Survey
Respondent
PUBLIC PERCEPTION ON CLIMATE SOLUTIONS
Over 40% of online survey respondents reported that they have an electric lawnmower
or other garden equipment and were least familiar with heat pumps.
• Intercept survey respondents showed similar levels of familiarity but were slightly
more likely to have an electric lawnmower and heat pumps.
When asked about climate solutions, some residents expressed concerns with solutions
that benefit landlords rather than renters. They expressed interest in solutions that can
directly support and empower renters to make changes, such as plug-in solar and home
energy efficiency kits.
Technology 1 – I Have 2 - I want to get
3 – I've heard
about it
4 – I don’t know
what that is
Solar panels 22% 47.3% 30.4% 0.3%
Electric car 19.5% 43.6% 36.2% 0.7%
Electric bike 25.4% 34.8% 39.1% 0.7%
Electric lawnmower/
garden equipment
43.6% 20.1% 34.6% 1.7%
Heat pump 14% 31.4% 35.6% 18.9%
Induction cooktop 19.8% 29.5% 45.2% 7.6%
Table 5. Online Survey: Respondent Familiarity with Technologies.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 69
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Respondents similarly demonstrated high levels of familiarity and positive attitudes
towards solar panels.
• Approximately 47% of online survey respondents indicated that they would like to
get a solar panel and 22% of respondents indicated that they already have solar
panels.
• Feedback from the dot board activity also showed overall support for renewable
energy and residential solar panels.
• Over 90% of respondents of the SL-CLEAR survey indicated that they felt positively
about solar panels.
• Cost and practicality were the main barriers to adoption, with 42% and 23% of
respondents of the SL-CLEAR survey respectively raising these concerns.
City staff also heard interest in plug-in solar technology, particularly from renters who are
interested in implementing climate solutions but feel like they have limited options.
CLEAN TRANSPORTATION
Active Mobility
When asked about their priorities for clean transportation, two clear top priorities
emerged: providing more, better, and lower-cost transit and making it easier and safer
to bike and walk.
• Seventy-six percent of respondents ranked “Provide more, better, and low-cost
transit” as a priority, and 72.5% ranked “Make it easier and safer to bike and walk” as
a priority.
• This was overwhelmingly prioritized in dot board activities.
• Other potential priorities, such as making electric vehicles less expensive, ranked
significantly lower, with 18.7% identifying “make electric vehicles less expensive” as
a priority and 14.1% identifying “provide more places to charge electric vehicles as
priority.”
• While intercept surveys did not explicitly ask about clean transportation, many
respondents shared that better public transit and bike lanes were priorities.
“Bike safety is my number one priority. Streets are crowded and
uncomfortable to ride on. I want more wide sidewalks which accommodate
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 70
pedestrians and bikes comfortably and separate from cars.” - Online Survey
Respondent
“I think a large part of the change to shift to greater public transit and biking
is a culture shift from the convenience of cars. Part of this is increasing
convenience of biking and transit and part of this is reducing the ease of
driving (higher parking costs) and part of this is culture shift through
advertisements, etc.” - Online Survey Respondent
Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles ranked lower than active mobility and transit as City transportation
priorities, though the outsized impact of vehicle emissions on the high-ranking priority of
improving air quality may not be as clear to respondents. Respondents indicated that they
already have (19.5%) or plan to get (43%) an electric vehicle, indicating that they view the
technology favorably but is a lower priority for City action compared to active mobility and
transit.
In the 2024 SL-CLEAR PCAP survey, respondents demonstrated high levels of
familiarity and positive attitudes towards electric vehicles.
• Over 75% of respondents indicated that they felt positively or very positively about
electric vehicles.
• The primary barrier to electric vehicle adoption was the cost. Over 38% of
respondents indicated that they were too expensive.
• Practicality and a lack of confidence in EV’s performance were also barriers.
In the Community Electrified Transportation Study, respondents indicated a high level
of interest in electric vehicles.
• Over half indicated that they would consider getting a hybrid or fully electric vehicle
for their next vehicle, and over a quarter indicated that they already had an electric
vehicle.
• The upfront purchase price was again the most significant barrier to purchasing an
EV.
When asked what information would help make a decision about getting an EV,
Community Electrified Transportation Survey respondents highlighted information on
home charging installation and requirements and how to apply for incentives and
rebates.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 71
When asked about specific City programs, respondents were generally supportive:
• 46% of respondents were interested in a program that allows you to install a charger
in the right-of-way.
• 78% of respondents shared that it was important for the City to incentivize the
cleanest vehicles through initiatives such as SLC’s Green Vehicle Parking Permits or
free EV charging stations.
• Respondents strongly supported City investment in public EV charging stations at
parks, libraries, community centers, and other public spaces.
“Electric vehicle charging incentives need to be available for multi-family
housing and not just single-family homes.” - Online Survey Respondent
“I commute to the city for work but live in Layton so working with UTA to help
lower the commute time with public transportation would be helpful. I drive
mostly because it takes half the time that taking public transportation.” -
Online Survey Respondent
E-Bikes
Respondents also demonstrated high levels of familiarity and positive attitudes
towards electric bikes.
• Over 75% of online survey respondents indicated that they felt positively or very
positively about electric bikes.
• The main barrier to e-bike adoption was safety concerns, followed by cost. Over
24% shared that they had concerns about safety.
Similarly, in the Community Electrified Transportation Study and SL-CLEAR PCAP survey,
respondents indicated that the cost, lack of safe storage, and insufficient bike lanes and
infrastructure are key barriers to using e-bikes as a primary mode of transportation.
BUILDINGS
Online survey respondents were asked about home electrification and energy efficiency
solutions.
Respondents ranked “making it easier to insulate my home and save money” and
“helping switch to efficient electric appliances that pollute less” as their top
priorities, although other priorities received similarly high rankings
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 72
• Over 66% indicated that “making it easier to insulate [their] homes and save money”
was a priority, and 61.4% shared that “helping switch to efficient electric appliances
that pollute less” was a priority.
• Helping improve indoor air quality and providing incentives to landlords were ranked
as a priority by 57% of respondents.
Respondents are unfamiliar but interested in heat pumps.
• Nearly 20% of respondents shared that they were completely unfamiliar with heat
pumps.
• Over 30% shared that they would like to get heat pumps and 14% of respondents
noted that they already have heat pumps.
• A similar pattern was seen for induction cooktops.
This is consistent with the SL-CLEAR survey, which found that almost half of respondents
are very or somewhat unfamiliar with heat pumps. However, almost 60% of respondents
had a positive or somewhat positive attitude toward heat pumps. Cost and lack of
knowledge were the primary barriers. Respondents to the SL-CLEAR survey also noted
broad support (over 75% support or strongly support) for financial incentives for residents,
businesses, local governments, schools & universities to improve energy efficiency and use
less pollution technologies.
Dot survey responses showed stronger support for efforts that help people use less energy
and save money on utility bills. Home electrification and home insulation were noted as
lower priorities than helping people use less energy, indicating a potential gap in
understanding on the impacts of different residential solutions.
“I feel like existing mom and pop landlords should be incentivized but new
and especially corporate landlords of larger, newer buildings should be
required to meet more clean energy standards.” - Online Survey Respondent
“I live in an HOA, and providing incentives for HOA’s to install solar and
switch to green practices would be huge, allowing larger plots of land for
hundreds of homeowners to make swaps.” - Online Survey Respondent
CLIMATE RESILIENCY & ADAPTATION
When asked about their priorities for heat mitigation, online survey respondents
identified increasing the number of streets in their neighborhoods (59.2%) and
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 73
improving and/or increasing the water-wise green areas in their neighborhoods as
priorities (49.8%).
A lower percentage of online survey respondents identified incentivizing energy-efficient
home cooling systems (34.5%), using cool reflective surfaces (27.3%), and adding more
shade structures, splash pads, and other cooling features in City projects (23.7%) as
priorities.
This is consistent with the feedback from the dot surveys. Trees and waterwise
greenspaces were noted as top priorities and other cooling efforts such as shade, splash
pads, and cool reflective surfaces were noted as lower priority.
“Heat and poverty are intertwined, and solutions should focus on the most
vulnerable to both.”
“I love how much SLC prioritizes its urban forest and would not want that to
decrease. I want to see more diverse strategies to address this issue,
especially for areas where it has been challenging to recruit residents to
water new street trees.” - Online Survey Respondent
“[I'd like to see] better coordination with utilities to provide free/accessible
energy audits and battery systems for homes for resilience and energy
efficiency” - Online Survey Respondent
SURVEY DEMOGRAPHICS
Key survey demographics are summarized below. Appendix B includes detailed survey
demographics data.
• 60% of online survey respondents reported that they are homeowners, and 33%
were renters. Intercept survey respondents were more likely to be renters (44%
being renters).
• Online survey respondents represent a wide variety of ages, with over half falling in
the 22-50 range.
• Online survey respondents also represented a variety of income levels but tended
towards middle- and high-income.
• Online survey respondents did not fully represent the racial and ethnic diversity
of Salt Lake City, as they were more likely to be white.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 74
BUSINESS SURVEY OVERVIEW
In addition to the online and intercept surveys, city staff conducted an online survey of
local businesses. There were 54 business representatives that completed the survey.
The businesses were diverse in size and focus areas.
• Professional services, manufacturing, and retail were the most common focus
areas.
• Finance and health care were less common focus areas.
• Over three-quarters of respondents indicated that their business or organization
employs 50 or fewer people. Only 7% of respondents indicated that their business
employs more than 500 people.
• Over 60% of respondents indicated that their business or organization leases its
workspace.
Most respondents indicated considerable concern around climate change’s impact on
their businesses, with 46.3% of respondents sharing that they were “Extremely
Concerned” and 13% indicating that they were “Very Concerned.”
• Respondents were most concerned about employee health and safety, supply
chain disruptions, and property and infrastructure damage due to extreme
weather.
• Respondents were less concerned about regulatory changes and reduced demand
for their products and services.
• Over 80% of respondents shared that they agreed or strongly agreed with the
statement “Taking action of climate change is important for the long-term health of
our economy.”
When asked what motivates or would motivate your business/organization to take
climate action, respondents were mostly likely to select environmental or social
responsibility (64.8%).
• Employee values (37%), cost savings (33.3%), and employee health (27.8%) were
also top motivators.
• Only four respondents indicated that climate action is not a priority for their
organization.
• Half of respondents shared that their business/organization either currently has
formal sustainability goals and/or a climate plan or is developing one.
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 75
Specific climate actions businesses were most interested in pursuing or are working
on implementing include measures to reduce waste, water conservation strategies,
and energy efficiency improvements.
• Over 59% of respondents have completed or are working on implementing
measures to reduce waste, and an additional 22.22% are interested but have not
started.
• Over 42% have completed or are working on implementing water conservation
measures, and 38.89% are interested but have not started.
• Over 40% have completed or are working on energy efficiency improvements, and
31.48% are interested but have not started.
• Interestingly, only 7% have completed or are working on measuring and tracking the
carbon footprint of their business, but 44% were interested.
Climate Action
Interested but
not started
Completed
or in progress Unsure
Not
interested
Measures to reduce waste 22.2% 59.3% 13% 5.6%
Installing employee EV chargers 27.8% 18.5% 22.2% 31.5%
Fleet and equipment electrification 25.9% 25.9% 22.2% 25.9%
Implementing water conservation
measures
38.9% 42.6% 13% 5.6%
Installation of renewable energy systems 35.2% 25.9% 22.2% 16.7%
Switching to low-carbon
materials/supplies
29.7% 33.3% 22.2% 14.8%
Electrification of heating and cooling
systems
27.8% 33.3%
18.5% 20.4%
Measuring and tracking carbon footprint
of our business
44.4% 7.4% 25.9% 22.2%
Enrolling in grid-supplied renewable
electricity program
27.8% 22.2%
22.2%
27.8%
Initiatives to encourage employees to
ride transit, bikes, or walk to work
22.2% 33.3% 24.1% 20.4%
PUBLIC INPUT
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 76
Climate Action
Interested but
not started
Completed
or in progress Unsure
Not
interested
Making infrastructure or property more
resilient to extreme weather effects
31.5% 27.8% 22.2%
18.5%
Energy efficiency improvements (audits,
building envelope enhancements,
lighting retrofits, enhanced controls, etc)
31.5%
40.7% 14.8% 13%
Table 6. Online Survey: Business Interest in Climate Actions.
Over 60% of respondents highlighted lack of funding or financial incentives as the
biggest barrier.
• Competing business priorities, limited staff capacity or expertise, difficulty
measuring emissions, and uncertainty about regulations or policies also emerged
as barriers.
Two-thirds of respondents highlighted that access to funding or grants would help
advance climate initiatives in their business.
• Respondents also identified policy clarity or regulatory guidance, case studies or
best practices, tools for emissions tracking and reporting, and technical assistance
or consulting as valuable forms of support.
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 77
Policies, Programs, & Plans
with Climate Reference
Key Takeaways for Climate Forward SLC
The City has adopted multiple plans and implemented many programs and
initiatives that support climate priorities.
Climate Forward SLC aligns with the Guiding Principles of Plan Salt Lake,
particularly Guiding Principle #5: Air Quality.
Connect SLC and Housing SLC include several strategies that reduce the
climate impact of the transportation and buildings sectors. Climate Forward
SLC will consider how to assess the climate impact of these strategies and
identify any gaps or opportunities to enhance climate action in these sectors.
POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND PLANS WITH CLIMATE REFERENCE
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 78
Several plans address green spaces and climate resiliency. Climate
Forward SLC will evaluate the need for additional strategies to reduce heat-
island effect and mitigate extreme heat.
Policies and Projects Relevant to Climate Action
Salt Lake City has long prioritized policies and initiatives that protect and enhance the
environment. Climate Forward SLC will build upon this legacy and the adopted City
policies, programs and projects that overlap with and help advance the City’s climate
priorities.
This section provides a summary of the adopted policies (plans, resolutions, and
ordinances) relevant for each climate sector and describes how the strategies and actions
from these plans will inform the Climate Forward SLC plan. In addition, this section
highlights key projects under each climate sector and the climate benefits of these
projects. A complete list of relevant projects is included in Appendix B: In-Progress and
Completed Projects.
Plan Salt Lake
Plan Salt Lake, adopted in 2015, established a citywide
vision for growth, sustainability, and livability through 2040.
The plan is governed by ten guiding principles. Under each
principle, the plan identified 2040 targets and key initiatives
the City will undertake to achieve the targets.
Climate action overlaps with many of the guiding principles
in Plan Salt Lake but has the most direct connection with
Guiding Principle #5: Air Quality. This principle calls for a
reduction in emissions and citywide energy consumption by
2040. To achieve this target, the plan lists initiatives such as
supporting renewable energy, encouraging energy
efficiency, increasing transportation mode-share,
minimizing the impact of car emissions, and incorporating climate adaptation strategies
into city plans. The strategies in Climate Forward SLC will directly deal with the initiatives
listed under this guiding principle.
POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND PLANS WITH CLIMATE REFERENCE
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 79
Other relevant Guiding Principles include:
• Guiding Principle #1: Neighborhoods that provide a safe environment, opportunity
for social interaction, and services needed for the wellbeing of the community
therein.
• Guiding Principle #4: A transportation and mobility network that is safe, accessible,
reliable, affordable, and sustainable, providing real choices and connecting people
with places.
• Guiding Principle #6: Minimize our impact on the natural environment.
• Guiding Principle #7: Protecting the natural environment while providing access
and opportunities to recreate and enjoy nature.
• Guiding Principle #8: A beautiful city that is people focused.
Climate Forward SLC will be guided by these principles and help to implement Plan Salt
Lake’s vision of a green, inclusive, and economically vibrant city.
Energy
Electricity is the largest contributor to the City’s community
greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) (estimated at 40% of total GHGs in
2024). Transitioning to renewable energy is critical to meet the City’s
climate goals.
The City has adopted two joint resolutions establishing targets for
transitioning to renewable energy. In addition, the City has undertaken
several renewable energy projects and programs impacting municipal
operations and the community. Utah Renewable Communities (URC)
program (described below) is the most significant effort in this sector
and is aimed at achieving net-100% renewable energy by 2030 for Salt
Lake City and 18 other communities across the state.
ADOPTED PLANS & POLICIES
2016 Joint Resolution Renewable Energy and Carbon Emission Reduction
Goals
In 2016, the Mayor and City Council adopted a joint resolution establishing renewable
energy goals and carbon emission reductions for Salt Lake City:
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SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 80
1. Renewable Energy: Salt Lake City will transition to 100% renewable energy for its
community and municipal operations by 2032. By 2020, municipal operations will
transition to 50% renewable energy.
2. Community Carbon Emission Reductions: Salt Lake City will ensure the reduction
of community greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2040 including a
reduction of at least 50% by 2030. These reductions will be relative to the 2009
baseline emissions inventory.
2019 Joint Resolution Moving the Community Renewable Energy Goal to
2030
Mayor and City Council adopted a joint resolution moving the goal of achieving net-100%
clean electricity for the community from 2032 to 2030.
CURRENT PROGRAMS & PROJECTS
The City has carried out numerous renewable energy projects (see Appendix B: In-Progress
and Completed Projects for a complete list). The two initiatives outlined below are
highlighted for their significant impact and critical role in achieving the City’s emission
reduction targets.
Utah Renewable Communities
Utah Renewable Communities (URC) is the most critical effort and essential to achieving
the SLC’s renewable energy and emission reduction goals. URC is a coalition of 19 cities,
counties, and towns that are working with Rocky Mountain Power to offer net-100%
renewable energy to customers in the participating communities.
As of March 2026, the program was approved by the Public Service Commission (PSC).
Communities are now working to solidify their participation in the program by passing
participation ordinances. Eligible communities that adopt the ordinance to join the
program will automatically enroll all of their Rocky Mountain Power customers, giving them
a new clean energy line item on their electricity bill which directly funds local utility-scale
renewable energy. Customers will then have the choice to opt-out anytime. With the PSC
decision, URC is also able to proceed with the procurement of new renewable energy
resources. The program ultimately aims to bring online about 500 MW of clean energy over
the coming years, based on current participating customer projections. This amount of
clean energy, which would occur over several different resource procurements, would
result in an estimated reduction of 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution
annually, and 1,000 pounds of criteria pollution annually, based on estimates using EPA’s
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AVoided Emissions and geneRation Tool (AVERT) model. The program is expected to launch
in 2027.
Elektron Solar
Salt Lake City and five other large customers catalyzed development of an 80-megawatt
solar PV project in Tooele County, Utah. The City committed to purchasing roughly half the
energy produced by the solar farm, which is approximately 80% of the City’s municipal
electricity needs. With this project, the City was able to meet the goal established in the
2016 joint resolution of 50% renewable energy for municipal operations by 2020.
In its first 12 months, the Elektron Solar project saved an estimated
$1.5 million on City electricity bills, reduced regional carbon pollution
by over 120,000 metric tons, and avoided more than 2,500 pounds of
criteria air pollution along the Wasatch Front. The Salt Lake City Airport
was also able to offset its electricity emissions through this project,
including all of its energy consumption emissions as well as emissions
from the electricity used by electric ground support equipment and
aircraft power support.
CONNECTION TO CLIMATE FORWARD SLC
Both joint resolutions are foundational to the City’s climate goals. URC will continue to be a
priority for the City as it is a key project to meet SLC’s climate goals.
Climate Forward SLC will assess other programs and efforts needed to ensure the success
of URC, encourage further deployment of renewable energy in the community, and
consider opportunities for renewable energy generation at municipal facilities. Other
priority areas of work like electrification of buildings and transportation will help leverage
the environmental and economic benefits of the community’s renewable energy while
reducing emissions in those sectors.
Transportation
On-road transportation accounts for 22% of the community’s GHG emissions and is a
significant source of air pollution in the SLC region. Solutions to reduce emissions from this
sector can be grouped into two main categories:
1. Solutions to reduce vehicle miles travelled (VMT); and
2. Vehicle electrification and efficiency.
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The City has long invested in transit and active mobility solutions. SLC’s newly adopted
transportation master plan, Connect SLC, established the City’s commitment to transit
and active mobility. The City has also adopted a resolution elevating electrified
transportation as a key climate strategy and has undertaken several efforts to advance
electrified transportation in the community and in its municipal fleet.
ADOPTED PLANS & POLICIES
Connect SLC
Connect SLC, adopted in 2024, sets a 20-year vision for transportation in Salt Lake City and
establishes goals to improve health and safety, expand access to opportunities, and
improve air quality. The plan considers streets a shared space that need to safely and
reliably accommodate pedestrians, transit, and bikes in addition to vehicles.
To achieve this vision, the plan identifies eight “key moves” to create an equitable
transportation system that meets the community’s diverse needs. The key moves and
actions relevant to Climate Forward SLC are primarily related to improving access to active
mobility and transit:
• Great Networks for Active Mobility
o Pedestrian Safety & Connectivity
o Low-Stress Bicycling & Micromobility
o Active Public Spaces
• Transit Friendly Neighborhoods
o Make Transit Convenient and Reliable
o Nurture Inclusive and Welcoming Transit Spaces
o Enhance the Urban Context to Make Transit an
Attractive Option
• Low-Emissions Mobility Options
o Build Awareness and Use of Transportation Options
o Manage Existing Parking Supply
o Communicate a Unified Parking Strategy and Brand
• Develop Curb Management Strategy
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Pedestrian & Bicycle Plan
This plan was adopted in 2015 and provides a guiding framework, recommendations, and
policies for the development and improvement of pedestrian and bicycle facilities along
with education, encouragement, and enforcement programs.
Connect SLC builds on the recommendations of this plan, so Climate Forward SLC will
prioritize alignment with Connect SLC.
Transit Master Plan
Adopted in 2017, this plan provides a blueprint for public transportation in Salt Lake City.
Connect SLC builds on the recommendations of this plan, so Climate Forward SLC will
prioritize alignment with Connect SLC.
2021 Joint Electrified Transportation Resolution
In 2021, the Mayor and City Council passed the joint Electrified Transportation Resolution
establishing a commitment to incorporate and promote electrified transportation as an
important solution in reducing carbon emissions and pollutants that impact air quality. The
Resolution established priorities for advancing electrified transit and electrifying smart
mobility and personal vehicles, including electrification goals for municipal fleet vehicles.
Housing and Transit Reinvestment Zone Policy
The Community Redevelopment Agency policy provides financial incentives to developers
for locating housing development within proximity to public transit.
CURRENT PROGRAMS & PROJECTS
Key projects and initiatives related to clean transportation are described below. Appendix
B: In-Progress and Completed Projects provides a complete list of ongoing and completed
projects.
Transit
Salt Lake City’s Transportation Division has a unique partnership with the Utah Transit
Authority (UTA) to expand and improve public transit access across the city, focusing on
service enhancements, capital upgrades, and transit pass programs.
Salt Lake City is the only municipality in the UTA service area that maintains an interlocal
agreement with the agency to pay for increased service within city limits. This means that
UTA buses run more often and at longer hours in Salt Lake City. These upgraded bus lines
are known as GO Routes. This agreement has also allowed the relationship between UTA
and the City to continue to expand transit passes and other programs.
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In 2021, the City started offering free transit passes to students and one guardian, as well
as faculty and staff of the Salt Lake City School District. SLC residents can also purchase
discounted transit passes, called the Hive Pass, which offers comprehensive access to
UTA services—including FrontRunner, TRAX, the S-Line, UTA On Demand, and all bus
routes—along with a GREENbike membership. Additionally, the City works with qualified
social service agencies to support the transportation needs of low-income residents
through the Human Service Fare Program. The program provides 6,900 daily and 2,700
monthly passes every year to service providers like Volunteers of America and The Other
Side Village.
The City is also investing heavily in transit infrastructure and service quality. More than 250
bus stops have been upgraded or newly constructed in recent years, with 71 improvements
completed in 2024 alone, adding accessibility features and amenities such as shelters and
benches. Several upgraded routes also now feature bus islands, which allow for faster
boarding and alighting to facilitate better service.
The City and UTA have partnered to provide UTA On Demand service on the Westside. A
rideshare-like service, On Demand allows riders to access the UTA system by hailing a van
with an app for the price of UTA fare. This type of service allows riders in areas where
traditional transit service is difficult to implement to reach a wide range of destinations.
Active Transportation
The City’s Complete Streets Ordinance requires streets to be designed, operated, and
maintained for all modes of traffic, including people walking and biking as well as for
travelers of all ages and abilities. Since adopting this ordinance in 2010, the City has
invested in several projects that support and encourage active transportation in new or
reconstructed streets.
As of 2025, the City’s Division of Transportation had installed over 291 miles of bicycle
lanes. Additionally, programs like the 20 Mile Per Hour Local Streets Initiative and the
citywide campaign of creating and improving crosswalks continue to make bicycle and
pedestrian travel safer and less stressful. Some of the key projects include the 400 South
Viaduct Trail, 300 West Bikeway, 9 Line Trail, and Neighborhood Byways (project details are
included in Appendix B).
Shared micromobility programs, such as bike shares and scooter systems, are important
strategies to help reduce vehicle trips. The City supports one bike share program
(GREENbike) through the provision of direct funding. It also manages a shared e-scooter
program through a contract for services with two providers. The contractual agreements
allow the City to provide policy and program direction aimed at enhancing the positive
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impacts of shared micromobility. In 2025, there were nearly 1 million trips on shared e-
scooters and over 78,000 trips on GREENbike. The City is seeking to expand the program by
better integrating shared mobility with transit and making shared micromobility more
reliable, accessible, safe, and affordable.
Municipal Fleet Electrification
In 2024, the City completed the Fleet Charging Infrastructure Study. The study provides
detailed analyses of opportunities to electrify the City's municipal vehicle fleet, including
department-by-department assessment of EV charging infrastructure needs and costs.
As of December 2025, City operations included 481 alternative-fueled vehicles, 69 of
which were all-electric. The Airport has nearly 600 alternative-fueled vehicles, including
over 460 electric ground support equipment, 45 fully-electric vehicles and 87 electric off-
highway vehicles, such as carts and lifts.
In FY25, the Public Services Department received funding from the Capital Improvement
Program to install charging infrastructure at the Public Safety Building. The Departments of
Sustainability and Public Services continue to work together to identify strategies and
funding opportunities to electrify the rest of the municipal fleet and build charging
infrastructure.
Community Transportation Electrification
In 2025, the Community Electrified Transportation Study was completed. The Study
evaluated opportunities to support electrified transportation, including household
personal vehicles, transit, and innovative mobility options such as rideshare and carshare.
The study documented 19 priority opportunities across four categories for electrified
transportation.
The City will continue to implement the recommendations of the study, including
expanding charging infrastructure on public property, updating EV-readiness ordinances
requiring the installation of charging infrastructure on private property, establishing fees for
City-owned chargers, and outreach and education efforts.
CONNECTION TO CLIMATE FORWARD SLC
Reducing emissions from the transportation sector requires coordination across numerous
City divisions and departments. The Planning and Transportation Divisions are prioritizing
walkable dense development and are building infrastructure for transit, biking, and
walking—efforts vital for reducing pollution. While the Sustainability Department often
leads vehicle electrification efforts, success depends on strong collaboration with Fleet
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Management, Facilities, Planning, and other departments. The transportation strategies in
Climate Forward SLC must be carefully evaluated to ensure alignment with goals and
priorities from other adopted policies.
As Climate Forward SLC considers active mobility and transit solutions, it will identify
potential gaps in the existing policies that could be addressed to support the City’s climate
goals. The plan will also consider tracking the climate impact and other benefits of these
existing policies using indicators such as VMT reductions, transit ridership, and other
relevant metrics.
When considering vehicle electrification efforts, Climate Forward SLC will identify the
strategies needed to implement recommendations of the recently completed Fleet
Charging Infrastructure and Community Electrified Transportation studies and achieve the
goals of the 2021 joint Electrified Transportation Resolution.
Buildings
Electricity used in buildings is the largest contributor to SLC’s community
carbon footprint and is addressed separately in the Energy Sector.
Natural gas combustion, the second largest source of building
emissions, contributes 29% of community GHG emissions, with non-
residential customers accounting for 81% of natural gas consumption.
Reducing natural gas emissions through energy efficiency, such as
weatherization for homes and commercial buildings, along with
beneficial electrification that shifts energy use to the electric grid will be
key to achieving the City’s climate goals.
The City has adopted multiple policies and currently works on several
projects aimed at expanding building electrification and improving energy
efficiency.
ADOPTED PLANS & POLICIES
Housing SLC: 2023-2027
Adopted in 2023, the Housing SLC plan guides the City’s housing-related efforts with a goal
of making housing in Salt Lake City more available and attainable to people of all
incomes. The primary goals are to:
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1. Make progress toward closing the housing gap of 5,500 units of deeply affordable
housing and increase the supply of housing at all levels of affordability;
2. Increase housing stability throughout the City; and
3. Increase opportunities for homeownership and other wealth and equity building
opportunities.
The plan emphasizes several strategies that promote higher density developments and
developments near major transit corridors, commercial hubs, and employment centers,
which contribute to climate benefits such as improved energy efficiency and decreased
reliance on personal vehicles.
Thriving in Place
This plan, adopted in 2023, identifies priority actions the City can take to prevent
gentrification and displacement in our communities. The strategies focus on balancing
growth and investment in new housing with the preservation of existing housing, tenant
protections, and a focus on development that benefits all residents.
Although many of the priorities in Thriving in Place do not overlap with Climate Forward
SLC, improving affordability—including through reduced utility costs and improved transit
and walkability—will also be central to the actions considered in Climate Forward SLC.
2021 Community Reinvestment Agency Sustainable Development Policy
Adopted in 2021, the Policy requires all new construction projects (commercial and
residential) receiving Community Reinvestment Agency (CRA) financing be designed and
built to be highly efficient and to operate without on-site fossil fuel combustion. This policy
also applies to rehabilitation projects receiving $200k or more of CRA funding. As of 2026,
the CRA is updating this policy to increase compliance pathways for diverse project types
and sustainability measures. The CRA hopes to expand the Policy’s effectiveness and
climate impact.
CURRENT PROGRAMS & PROJECTS
Key projects related to clean buildings are described below. Appendix B: In-Progress and
Completed Projects includes a complete list of ongoing and completed projects.
Elevate Buildings
SLC’s commercial building benchmarking ordinance, Elevate Buildings, was enacted in
2017 to reduce energy waste, support economic development, and improve air quality.
Buildings over 25,000 square feet are required to report their energy and natural gas usage
annually. This information helps building owners and facility managers better understand
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their building’s energy performance and opportunities to improve building energy
efficiency. Less efficient buildings are able to access incentives and programs to help
improve energy efficiency. An average of over 250 large commercial properties report to the
Sustainability Department each year, with opportunity for even greater participation moving
forward. Approximately half of reporting properties receive an ENERGY STAR score that
designates them as above-average performers, and 30% of reporting properties receive an
ENERGY STAR score of 75, making them eligible for ENERGY STAR certification. An analysis
of reporting properties demonstrated that from 2019-2022, five out of seven property types
saw a decrease in annual electricity consumption. That same analysis also indicated an
increase in natural gas consumption in four out of seven property types, indicating
opportunity for enhanced efficiency measures among the reporting properties.
Energy Management Steering Committee
In 2013, the Mayor issued an executive order creating a multi-departmental energy
management steering committee tasked with developing Energy Management Plans and
tracking results. The updated Comprehensive Sustainability Policy (described in the
Resiliency Section) formalized this committee into the City’s administrative policy
framework.
The committee continues to meet to identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency in
City facilities. Since the Committee began planning activities, the Airport has completed 36
projects, Public Services has completed 32 projects, and Public Utilities has completed 15
projects with an additional 24 in progress or in the planning stages.
CONNECTION TO CLIMATE FORWARD SLC
Denser housing provides multiple climate benefits, such as increased energy efficiency
and reduced resource consumption. Additionally, new housing developments can
decrease reliance on personal vehicles when located near transit, amenities, and walkable
neighborhoods.
Climate Forward SLC will assess strategies to incorporate energy efficiency standards and
electrification in new housing developments. Programs and opportunities to help existing
homes improve energy efficiency and electrify appliances will also be considered.
Affordability is a key consideration of the City’s housing plans. Climate planning is strongly
interconnected with affordability. For instance, energy efficiency and electrification reduce
electricity bills. The URC program includes a low-income customer option that makes it
free to participate for those who qualify. Climate Forward SLC will evaluate existing and
new opportunities to contribute to affordability while addressing climate impacts.
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Non-residential buildings account for the majority of the electricity and natural gas
consumption in SLC. Climate Forward SLC will evaluate opportunities to expand
engagement with commercial building stakeholders, enhancing existing programs such as
Elevate Buildings, and develop new initiatives that can deliver benefit to commercial
building owners and tenants. Climate Forward SLC will also consider new goals or projects
for municipal buildings.
Climate Resiliency and Adaptation
Climate resiliency refers to the strategies needed to prepare for, adapt to, and
recover from the impacts of climate change such as more frequent and
extreme flooding; declining air quality due to the drying Great Salt Lake,
wildfires, and the other challenges described in the Climate Hazards and
Vulnerabilities Assessment section of this report. Examples of climate
resiliency solutions include: heat mitigation; water conservation; wildfire
prevention; and ensuring access to shelter, heating and cooling, and food to
help the community withstand climate-related risks and emergencies.
The City has adopted several policies and is working on several initiatives that
support and advance climate resiliency efforts.
ADOPTED PLANS & POLICIES
Green Spaces & Sustainable Infrastructure
Urban Forest Action Plan
Adopted in 2022, this plan makes recommendations to preserve and expand the urban
forest in Salt Lake City. Some of the strategies include actions to support urban forest and
public infrastructure, maximizing the urban forest’s “Return on Investment” (ROI), equitably
distributing the benefits, and planning and designing infrastructure in the public interest.
All of the recommendations in this plan align with climate resiliency solutions. Some of the
relevant strategies include:
• Develop communication campaign about the importance of the urban forest
• Incorporate public health outcomes into urban forest planting and preservation
strategies
• Plan for equitable urban forest expansion in neighborhoods and business districts
• Rethink the right-of-way to allocate more space for trees and pedestrians
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Reimagine Nature Public Lands Master Plan
Adopted in 2022, the Reimagine Nature Public Lands Mater Plan (Reimagine Nature)
establishes a framework for City investment and management of parks, trails, natural
lands, urban forestry, and golf courses. The goals of the plan are:
1. Sustain: Environmental Health and Sustainability
2. Connect: Accessible and Connected Green Spaces
3. Welcome: Active, Authentic and Inclusive Places
4. Protect: A Commitment to Stewardship
5. Grow: Expand our Public Lands System
The strategies and actions under each of the plan’s goals will help improve the City’s
climate resiliency. In addition, the plan specifically highlighted the need to “position Public
Lands to increase the ambition of SLC’s climate resiliency goals, including creation of a
climate resiliency plan.”
Comprehensive Sustainability Policy
Updated in December 2023, the Comprehensive Sustainability Policy is an administrative
policy which guides Salt Lake City’s municipal infrastructure development to promote
sound environmental practices, energy efficiency, and waste minimization. The 2023
update included a requirement that the City evaluate, implement, and seek third-party
certification for large capital projects. This helps ensure large projects incorporate
sustainability best practices in the design, construction, and maintenance phases. The
policy established certification thresholds at $2 million for parks and outdoor projects,
10,000 square feet for the new construction or remodeling of City buildings, $10 million
and above for Transportation projects, $50 million for Public Utilities projects, and $25
million for Airport infrastructure projects. The approved certification pathways include
Envision Rating System, LEED, and SITES, though others may be requested. These
certification pathways will help implement more sustainable and resilient projects and will
help improve interdepartmental collaboration.
Water Conservation
Water Conservation Plan
The 2025 Water Conservation Plan is required under the State of Utah Conservation Plan
Act (Section 73-10-32). The plan was adopted by City Council in December 2025. Analysis
for the plan concluded that, without additional conservation efforts, future demand will
outpace future supply by 14 percent by 2060, primarily due to anticipated population
growth. Water conservation efforts to date have been successful and per capita water
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demand has decreased since 2020. The plan aims to build on the already robust
conservation programs and identifies future efforts needed to meet conservation goals.
Growing Water Smart
This is an effort that merges water planning and land use planning in Salt Lake City. This
plan is mandated by State Code (Section 73-10-36), which requires a local plan to "provide
for the efficient and economical use, conservation and production of the supply of water."
The plan will analyze the impacts of current and future development on water demand and
supply and identify opportunities and strategies to reduce water consumption. This is an
ongoing effort.
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
This plan serves as a guide to monitor, measure, mitigate, and respond to water supply
shortages or disruptions, which can be caused by climate change, regular climate
variability, contamination, unanticipated surges in demand, or system disruptions. The
plan defines water shortage triggers and stages and identifies actions necessary for
different water shortage stages.
Water Supply and Demand Plan
This plan is an examination of water demands expected in the service territory and the
existing and future water supplies available to meet these demands. This plan takes into
consideration land use changes, population growth, conservation, drought and climate
change to evaluate adequacy of water sources to meet projected demands on an annual
basis as well as a peak demand evaluation.
Watershed Management Plan
The watershed management plan provides policy, program, and ordinance
recommendations to promote watershed resiliency and protect Salt Lake City’s water
sources. Climate change, human impacts, and wildfire are key considerations of this plan.
Landscaping Code Updates
In 2024, Salt Lake City updated its landscaping and buffer standards to save water, protect
and plant more trees, reduce urban heat island effects, and protect water quality.
CURRENT PROGRAMS & PROJECTS
Urban Tree Canopy
The Salt Lake City Urban Forestry Division strives to plant 1,000 new trees each year to
maintain a healthy thriving urban forest. As of 2025, over 5,000 new trees have been
planted on the Westside of SLC since 2020.
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Wildland Urban Interface Fire Code
The City is working on an update to the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Code to meet new
state requirements. The updated fire code will apply to properties close to natural
vegetation and will include requirements related to the construction of new buildings,
additions to existing buildings, building materials, and landscaping.
Downtown Beautification Initiative
Salt Lake City is advancing the Downtown Beautification Initiative to expand tree canopy,
green infrastructure, and high-quality public space in the city’s most urban neighborhoods.
These improvements focus on creating shaded, comfortable routes for walking, biking, and
transit while improving air quality, reducing urban heat, and enhancing the experience of
downtown streets and public spaces.
Early efforts focus on building on the success of the 9-Line Trail, improving key civic spaces
through the Civic Center project along 200 East, and advancing design and engagement for
improvements along 500 West. Over time, these projects will help connect neighborhoods,
cultural destinations, and civic spaces while strengthening environmental resilience and
livability in Salt Lake City’s urban core.
The City is incrementally advancing the initiative through funding from the Capital
Improvement Program, grants, and philanthropic partnerships.
Water Conservation Efforts
The Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities offers over 60 water conservation
programs, practices, and measures. These efforts implement water conservation strategies
in the following categories: outreach, economic, utility, law & policy, and research and
metrics programs. A complete list of programs is included in the 2025 Water Conservation
Plan.
CONNECTION TO CLIMATE FORWARD SLC
Providing green spaces and preserving the natural environment are critical for climate
resiliency, heat mitigation, and the management of stormwater during extreme weather.
Climate Forward SLC will evaluate whether new policies are needed to mitigate extreme
heat and weather, such as infrastructure (cool roofs, cool pavements, permeable
surfaces), access to cool spaces (in residences or cooling centers), or continued research
(urban heat mapping).
Climate Forward SLC will also evaluate opportunities to align water conservation practices
with heat mitigation and green space priorities. For example, preservation of natural
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spaces and trees with the greatest heat mitigation benefit should be prioritized when
implementing water use restrictions.
Reimagine Nature specifically highlighted the need to “position Public Lands to increase
the ambition of SLC’s climate resiliency goals, including creation of a climate resiliency
plan.” Climate Forward SLC will consider resiliency goals to inform a City climate resiliency
plan. Through Climate Forward SLC, staff aims to improve interdepartmental coordination;
define roles and responsibilities of different departments; and identify gaps in resiliency-
related efforts.
Food Systems
Food access and affordability are key components of a livable and
resilient city. Food-focused policies and programs in the City aim to
support and sustain a resilient and accessible local food system
through collaboration, planning, and resource development. Current
initiatives and partnerships address three key areas: food production,
healthy food access, and food waste.
Climate change is increasingly compromising the stability of the local
food system, from declining agricultural productivity to food access
disruptions during extreme weather events. By strengthening local
food system resilience, the City can help ensure that residents have
reliable access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally relevant food.
Globally, the food system accounts for roughly one-third of greenhouse gas emissions.
However, this impact is not reflected in the City’s GHG emissions inventory as the food
system is typically accounted for in consumption-based emissions, which include
upstream impacts from food consumption and activities related to purchasing and use of
material goods. Consumption-based emissions are excluded from the City’s community
GHG emission inventory because calculating their impacts is extremely complex and they
occur primarily outside city boundaries.
Despite this exclusion, consumption-based emissions still represent a significant climate
concern, and the food system is a major contributor. Supporting sustainable food systems
is therefore important for both reducing emissions and as a climate adaptation strategy.
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ADOPTED PLANS & POLICIES
Salt Lake City has not adopted any specific resolutions, plans, or policies related to the
food system. However, ensuring affordable and fair access to healthy food and supporting
urban agriculture activities consistently appear as strategies in adopted city plans and are
frequently identified as top priorities in resident engagement efforts. Examples include
Plan Salt Lake’s guiding principles for Growth, Parks & Recreation, and Equity; Housing
SLC’s focus on affordability; and multiple recommendations in the Urban Forestry Action
Plan.
Signatory to the Glasgow Food and Climate Declaration
In 2021, the City became one of only five other cities in the U.S. to sign the Glasgow Food
and Climate Declaration, a commitment of local authorities to develop sustainable food
policies, improve coordination across sectors, and urge national governments to prioritize
food and agriculture in the global response to climate change.
CURRENT PROGRAMS & PROJECTS
Key City-led projects related to food are described below. Appendix B: In-Progress and
Completed Projects includes a complete list of ongoing and completed projects.
SLC Food Microgrant Program
The ongoing SLC Food Microgrant Program provides funding to residents and community
organizations to support food production and improve food accessibility in SLC. The
program started in 2023, in its first three years, has awarded grants to 203 residents and 35
community groups.
Community Food Assessment
In 2012, the City conducted a comprehensive evaluation of local and regional food
dynamics with quantitative and qualitative details about food within a 250-mile range of
SLC. This assessment is currently being updated and will incorporate results of a recent
resident survey, an inventory of internal policies and initiatives that impact the local food
system, and an analysis of external food system sectors (food production, processing and
distribution, food access, and food waste). The study will identify gaps, opportunities, and
priorities for action towards improving local food system resilience and addressing
disparities.
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Urban Agriculture
Salt Lake City supports urban agriculture activities through policies, partnerships, land
access, and funding. The Green City Growers Program, a collaboration between SLC Public
Lands and Wasatch Community Gardens, develops and manages community gardens on
City-owned land, currently supporting 11 garden sites. An additional 7 community garden
and orchard sites are managed by the City or with other community partners. The Urban
Farming Program identifies underutilized City-owned parcels suitable to urban agriculture
uses and leases the parcels to local growers. Since 2015, five parcels have been leased
with one active site currently co-managed by Wasatch Community Gardens and the
International Rescue Committee’s New Roots Program. Additional urban agriculture
initiatives include the Sustainable Code Revision Project: Urban Agricultural Updates, the
Urban Vegetable Garden Water Rate Adjustment Program, and the SLC Public Library’s
Seed Library Program.
CONNECTION TO CLIMATE FORWARD SLC
Healthy food access is foundational to individual and community health and urban
agriculture provides social, environmental, and economic benefits to local communities.
Climate Forward SLC will evaluate opportunities to support local growers and increase the
availability and accessibility of affordable, healthy foods that also address and respond to
climate changes. The plan will also consider goals to build a more resilient local food
system, such as improved collaboration between City departments and community-based
organizations, and other planning and policy actions.
Waste
Solid waste is the smallest category in the City’s emission
inventory, but waste management is an important operational
priority for the City and it provides wide-ranging benefits such as
preventing pollution, preserving and conserving natural
resources, and reducing the carbon footprint associated with the
consumption of goods. As previously noted, consumption
emissions are not included in the City’s community GHG
emission inventory due to their complexity and external origins.
However, consumption emissions still represent a significant
climate concern and waste reduction is a key strategy for
addressing these emissions. Therefore, despite its relatively
POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND PLANS WITH CLIMATE REFERENCE
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 96
small contribution to the GHG community inventory, waste management remains an
important climate strategy for the City.
ADOPTED PLANS & POLICIES
2011 Joint Resolution Zero Waste Goal
In 2011, the Mayor and City Council adopted a joint resolution establishing waste reduction
and diversion goals for Salt Lake City. The resolution adopted a goal to recycle 50% of
waste by 2015, 70% of waste by 2025, and eliminate waste by 2040.
The City currently diverts 36% of waste generated, so additional efforts are needed to meet
the goals of this resolution.
CURRENT PROGRAMS & PROJECTS
Waste Reduction, Diversion, and Recycling Study
The study will provide an analysis of various waste and recycling streams, including
residential, commercial, self-haul, construction debris, organics, and glass; and identify
opportunities to improve organic and recyclable material diversion.
Curbside Services
Salt Lake City collects garbage, recycling, and compost from roughly 42,000 customers
each week. Most of these are single-family, duplex, and triplex residences, though there are
some small business customers. Residential customers are charged one flat fee, based on
the size of their garbage can, for all garbage, recycling, composting, and extra services.
Offering different size garbage containers encourages waste diversion, as does offering
recycling and composting to all residents.
In 2025, 3.8 million containers were emptied and 66,075 tons of waste was collected. Of
that, 9,266 tons was recycled and 14,855 tons was composted.
Voluntary Curbside Glass Recycling and Drop-off Glass Recycling
Program
The City partners with a contractor to offer voluntary curbside glass recycling for a small
additional monthly fee. It also offers free community drop-off glass recycling dumpsters.
In 2025, 1,406 tons of glass was recycled through these programs.
Call 2 Haul
Provides collection services for large bulky items that don’t fit or belong in weekly curbside
containers, like old furniture, mattresses, appliances, refrigerators, tires, electronic waste,
POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND PLANS WITH CLIMATE REFERENCE
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE PLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 97
and bulky green waste. Collected materials are diverted, where possible, for recycling and
composting.
Recycling Education and Outreach
Education, training, and enforcement efforts to improve waste diversion and recycling
behaviors. Efforts include residential and non-residential customers, plus internal city
departments. Salt Lake City was awarded an EPA Recycling Education and Outreach grant
in 2023 to support residential outreach and engagement and is revisiting the prior Master
Recycler Program efforts to determine if/how to reimagine and relaunch a similar program.
CONNECTION TO CLIMATE FORWARD SLC
Several programs are in place to support the guiding policy of zero waste by 2040. Climate
Forward SLC will evaluate whether new programs or updates to existing programs are
needed to achieve the goals of the 2011 resolution. This includes strategies to implement
the recommendations of the Waste Reduction, Diversion, and Recycling Study; identify
opportunities to improve access to recycling in business and multi-family properties; and
improve landfill gas capture and reuse operations.
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 98
Appendix A: Survey Summaries
Note that the following survey summaries are not accessible. Salt Lake City Corporation is
committed to making this report content accessible. To request an accessible version of
the survey summaries, please contact the Department of Sustainability at
slcgreen@slc.gov.
Climate Forward SLC - Online Public Survey
Summary
In developing the Salt Lake City Climate Action Plan, city staff conducted a robust
community engagement process. This process included an online survey which received
over 700 responses, the results of which are included below.
What is your zip code?
721/721 - Multiple choice - choose one - required
84105 18.4% (133 choices)
Outside of Salt Lake City 16.8% (121 choices)
84103 11% (79 choices)
84106 10.4% (75 choices)
84102 8% (58 choices)
84108 6.5% (47 choices)
84116 5.5% (40 choices)
84115 5.5% (40 choices)
84111 4.9% (35 choices)
84109 4.2% (30 choices)
84104 3.9% (28 choices)
84101 3.5% (25 choices)
84114 0.6% (4 choices)
84112 0.6% (4 choices)
84113 0.3% (2 choices)
84180 0% (0 choices)
How well-informed do you feel about climate change and its impacts in
our area?
713/721 - Multiple choice - choose one - required
I know a fair amount 45.5% (328 choices)
I know a lot about it 33.7% (243 choices)
I know some, but not a lot 17.2% (124 choices)
I don't know that much about it 1.7% (12 choices)
No answer 1.1% (8 choices)
I don’t think climate change is happening 0.8% (6 choices)
What climate change impacts are you most concerned about?
713/721 - Multiple choice - choose many - required
Drought and lack of water 88.3% (637 choices)
Air pollution and its impacts 84.9% (612 choices)
More wildfires and smoky days 75.3% (543 choices)
More very hot days 63.4% (457 choices)
Severe storms and flash floods 34.1% (246 choices)
I am not concerned 3.6% (26 choices)
No answer 1.1% (8 choices)
Other 8.2% (59 choices)
There are many priorities that the city is working on. Rate the following
on how important they are to you personally.
713/721 - Matrix - required
1 - Not
important
2 -
Somewhat
important
3 - Very
important
7.15%7.15%7.15%7.15%7.15%38.99%38.99%38.99%38.99%38.99%53.86%53.86%53.86%53.86%53.86%
3.79%3.79%3.79%3.79%3.79%27.35%27.35%27.35%27.35%27.35%68.86%68.86%68.86%68.86%68.86%
22.02%22.02%22.02%22.02%22.02%47.27%47.27%47.27%47.27%47.27%30.72%30.72%30.72%30.72%30.72%
8.13%8.13%8.13%8.13%8.13%19.78%19.78%19.78%19.78%19.78%72.09%72.09%72.09%72.09%72.09%
12.06%12.06%12.06%12.06%12.06%51.89%51.89%51.89%51.89%51.89%36.04%36.04%36.04%36.04%36.04%
6.45%6.45%6.45%6.45%6.45%33.66%33.66%33.66%33.66%33.66%59.89%59.89%59.89%59.89%59.89%
2.81%2.81%2.81%2.81%2.81%9.68%9.68%9.68%9.68%9.68%87.52%87.52%87.52%87.52%87.52%
5.05%5.05%5.05%5.05%5.05%32.82%32.82%32.82%32.82%32.82%62.13%62.13%62.13%62.13%62.13%
Lowering the cost of
living
Increasing trees and
green space
Reducing crime
Shifting to clean
renewable energy
Increasing job
opportunities
Making it easier to
get around
Reducing air pollution
Improving community
health
1 - Not
important
2 -
Somewhat
important
3 - Very
important
8.84%8.84%8.84%8.84%8.84%34.22%34.22%34.22%34.22%34.22%56.94%56.94%56.94%56.94%56.94%
7.71%7.71%7.71%7.71%7.71%52.17%52.17%52.17%52.17%52.17%40.11%40.11%40.11%40.11%40.11%
Creating more
affordable housing
Being better prepared
for disasters
How familiar are you with each of the following?
713/721 - Matrix - required
1 - I
have
2 - I
want to
get
3 - I've
heard
about it
4 - I
don't
know
what
that is
22.02%22.02%22.02%22.02%22.02%47.27%47.27%47.27%47.27%47.27%30.43%30.43%30.43%30.43%30.43%0.28%0.28%0.28%0.28%0.28%
19.5%19.5%19.5%19.5%19.5%43.62%43.62%43.62%43.62%43.62%36.19%36.19%36.19%36.19%36.19%0.7%0.7%0.7%0.7%0.7%
25.39%25.39%25.39%25.39%25.39%34.78%34.78%34.78%34.78%34.78%39.13%39.13%39.13%39.13%39.13%0.7%0.7%0.7%0.7%0.7%
43.62%43.62%43.62%43.62%43.62%20.06%20.06%20.06%20.06%20.06%34.64%34.64%34.64%34.64%34.64%1.68%1.68%1.68%1.68%1.68%
14.03%14.03%14.03%14.03%14.03%31.42%31.42%31.42%31.42%31.42%35.62%35.62%35.62%35.62%35.62%18.93%18.93%18.93%18.93%18.93%
19.78%19.78%19.78%19.78%19.78%27.49%27.49%27.49%27.49%27.49%45.16%45.16%45.16%45.16%45.16%7.57%7.57%7.57%7.57%7.57%
Solar panels
Electric car
Electric bike
Electric
lawnmower/garden
equipment
Heat pump (to cool
and heat a home)
Induction cooktop
Clean Transportation - MOST Important
699/721 - Multiple choice - choose many - required
Provide more, better, and lower-cost transit 76% (548 choices)
Make it easier and safer to bike and walk 72.5% (523 choices)
Make electric vehicles less expensive 18.7% (135 choices)
Provide more places to charge electric
vehicles
14.1% (102
choices)
Make electric bikes less expensive and more
convenient
13.2% (95
choices)
No answer 3.1% (22 choices)
Healthy Homes - MOST Important
699/721 - Multiple choice - choose many - required
Make it easier to insulate my home and save
money
66.9% (482
choices)
Help switch to efficient electric appliances that
pollute less
61.4% (443
choices)
Help improve the air quality inside my home 57.4% (414 choices)
Provide incentives for my landlord to make these
improvements
57.3% (413
choices)
No answer 3.1% (22 choices)
Clean Energy - MOST Important
699/721 - Multiple choice - choose many - required
Provide 100 percent clean, renewable electricity
for all homes and businesses
71% (512
choices)
Make it easy to finance and install rooftop solar
and generate my own electricity
50.5% (364
choices)
Provide incentives for my landlord to make
these improvements
43.7% (315
choices)
Help me understand what I can do to reduce my
energy bills (e.g., improved insulation, energy-
efficient appliances, etc.)
29.4%
(212
choices)
No answer 3.1% (22 choices)
Heat Mitigation - MOST Important
699/721 - Multiple choice - choose many - required
Increase the number of street trees in my
neighborhood
59.2% (427
choices)
Improve and/or increase the water-wise green
areas in my neighborhood
49.8% (359
choices)
Incentivize energy-efficient home cooling systems
for those who need it.
34.5% (249
choices)
Reduce summer temperatures in my neighborhood
using cool, reflective surfaces
27.3% (197
choices)
Adding more shade structures, splash pads, and other
cooling features to City parks and other City projects
23.7%
(171
choices)
No answer 3.1% (22 choices)
Which of the following do you think are most important as we decide on
priorities for the city’s climate plan and our work in the next few years?
711/721 - Multiple choice - choose many - optional
Actions that reduce climate pollution the most (i.e.,
provide the greatest climate benefit)
58.9% (425
choices)
Actions that have multiple benefits, such as reducing
pollution, plus creating jobs, plus saving money (i.e.,
provide the most co-benefits)
44%
(317
choices)
Actions that best prepare our community for climate
impacts, like heatwaves and drought (i.e., provide the
greatest resilience benefit)
29.1%
(210
choices)
Actions that help people most impacted by climate
issues (i.e., provide the greatest equity benefit)
25.1%
(181
choices)
Actions that help the largest number of people (i.e.,
provide the broadest benefit)
18.4% (133
choices)
The City should focus on other issues 7.6% (55 choices)
No answer 1.4% (10 choices)
Which of the following actions are you most interested in or passionate
about?
644/721 - Multiple choice - choose many - optional
Bike, walk and take transit when I can 44.1% (318 choices)
Support local agriculture and food production 29.5% (213 choices)
Reduce water use in my home and yard 27% (195 choices)
Reduce the amount of waste I throw away 26.6% (192 choices)
Shift to using renewable energy for my home or
business
25.8% (186
choices)
Improve the energy efficiency of my home or
apartment
21.1% (152
choices)
Plant / care for a street tree 17.3% (125 choices)
Educate and encourage people I know to take
action and make a difference
14.8% (107
choices)
Shift to an electric vehicle 12.6% (91 choices)
No answer 10.7% (77 choices)
Participate in a community garden 7.4% (53 choices)
Shift to electric appliances 4% (29 choices)
Other 4.2% (30 choices)
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about your thoughts and
priorities related climate action in Salt Lake City?
135/721 - Long answer - optional
Respondents most frequently emphasized the need to reduce car usage in Salt Lake City,
citing concerns about pollution, safety, and urban quality, and called for improvements in
alternative transportation such as more streetcars, light rail, and better respect for biking
and walking infrastructure. Several noted frustration with blocked bike lanes and lack of
enforcement, including poor modeling by city employees.
Air quality and the health of the Great Salt Lake were recurring priorities, with calls for
aggressive action against polluting projects (like the inland port and mining), reducing
car/truck traffic, and restoring lake water levels by buying back water rights and opposing
diversion. The impact of local agriculture on water usage—especially alfalfa farming—was
highlighted as a major concern for the lake’s survival and public health.
Equitable access to climate solutions was raised, particularly regarding electric vehicle
charging for renters and those without garages; some questioned whether public funds
should prioritize charging infrastructure that currently benefits wealthier homeowners.
There were also calls to expand recycling and composting access for non-homeowners, and
suggestions for legal requirements to recycle key materials and ban most single-use
plastics.
Building standards were mentioned, with support for incentivizing all-electric new homes
and passive design for energy efficiency. One respondent stressed the importance of clear
communication about how climate actions will affect quality of life, especially air quality
and heat stress, and suggested focusing resources on those most affected if broader
impacts are limited.
A note of appreciation for community engagement was also expressed.
Currently I live…
708/721 - Multiple choice - choose one - optional
In a home or a condo I own 60.6% (437 choices)
In a home or apartment I rent 33.3% (240 choices)
With family or friends (no rent)3.2% (23 choices)
No answer 2.1% (15 choices)
In an unstable housing situation (in an RV, shelter,
etc.)
0.3% (2
choices)
I am unhoused 0.3% (2 choices)
Other 0.3% (2 choices)
What is your age?
674/721 - Multiple choice - choose one - optional
31-40 28.3% (204 choices)
22-30 21.6% (156 choices)
41-50 16.5% (119 choices)
61 or older 15.8% (114 choices)
51-60 8.6% (62 choices)
No answer 6.7% (48 choices)
18-21 1.9% (14 choices)
Younger than 18 0.6% (4 choices)
What is your household income level?
612/721 - Multiple choice - choose one - optional
$150,000+25.9% (187 choices)
$100,000-$150,000 21.4% (154 choices)
No answer 15.5% (112 choices)
$75,000-$99,999 13% (94 choices)
$50,000-$74,999 11.8% (85 choices)
$25,000-49,999 6.8% (49 choices)
$15,000-$24,999 3.6% (26 choices)
$0-$14,999 1.9% (14 choices)
What is your gender?
636/721 - Multiple choice - choose one - optional
Woman 44% (317 choices)
Man 35% (252 choices)
No answer 11.9% (86 choices)
Prefer not to say 5.1% (37 choices)
Non-Binary / Third Gender 3.6% (26 choices)
Prefer to self-describe 0.4% (3 choices)
What is the race/ethnicity with which you identify?
630/721 - Multiple choice - choose many - optional
White 73.6% (531 choices)
No answer 12.6% (91 choices)
Prefer not to say 5.8% (42 choices)
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)4.9% (35 choices)
Asian 4% (29 choices)
Black or African American 1.2% (9 choices)
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.6% (4 choices)
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4% (3 choices)
Other 1.2% (9 choices)
Climate Forward SLC - Business Survey Summary
In developing the Salt Lake City Climate Action Plan, city staff conducted a robust
community engagement process. This process included a survey of businesses, which
received 54 responses, the results of which are included below.
What is the zip code of your business/organization?
54/54 - Multiple choice - choose one - required
84111 29.6% (16 choices)
84101 24.1% (13 choices)
84103 7.4% (4 choices)
84106 7.4% (4 choices)
84115 5.6% (3 choices)
84116 5.6% (3 choices)
84102 3.7% (2 choices)
84104 3.7% (2 choices)
Outside of Salt Lake City 3.7% (2 choices)
84105 1.9% (1 choice)
84108 1.9% (1 choice)
84109 1.9% (1 choice)
84112 1.9% (1 choice)
84180 1.9% (1 choice)
84113 0% (0 choices)
84114 0% (0 choices)
What is the primary focus of your business/organization?
54/54 - Multiple choice - choose one - required
Professional Services 20.4% (11 choices)
Manufacturing 13% (7 choices)
Retail 13% (7 choices)
Finance & Insurance 5.6% (3 choices)
Healthcare 5.6% (3 choices)
Transportation & Logistics 0% (0 choices)
Energy & Utilities 0% (0 choices)
Construction 0% (0 choices)
Technology 0% (0 choices)
Other (please specify)42.6% (23 choices)
Those who selected "Other (please specify)" represent a diverse range of sectors, with the
most common being hospitality (including restaurants, bars, catering, and event planning)
and real estate or real estate development. Other sectors mentioned include nonprofit,
social services, higher education, art, humanities and culture, community development,
and sustainable retail.
How many people does your business/organization employ?
54/54 - Multiple choice - choose one - required
1–10 employees 44.4% (24 choices)
11–50 employees 35.2% (19 choices)
51–200 employees 13% (7 choices)
500+ employees 7.4% (4 choices)
201–500 employees 0% (0 choices)
Does your business/organization own or lease its primary workspace?
54/54 - Multiple choice - choose one - required
Lease 63% (34 choices)
Own 31.5% (17 choices)
Not applicable 5.6% (3 choices)
What best describes your primary role within your
business/organization?
54/54 - Multiple choice - choose one - required
Business Owner or Founder 66.7% (36 choices)
Executive or Senior Leader (e.g., President,
CEO)
20.4% (11
choices)
Manager or Supervisor 5.6% (3 choices)
Professional or Technical Staff 5.6% (3 choices)
Administrative/Support Staff 1.9% (1 choice)
Other (please specify)0% (0 choices)
How concerned are you that climate change will affect your
business/organization?
54/54 - Linear scale - required
13%
1 - No...
9.3%
2 - Sl...
18.5%
3 - So...
13%
4 - Ve...
46.3%
5 - Ex...
1 - Not concerned at all
2 - Slightly concerned
3 - Somewhat concerned
4 - Very concerned
5 - Extremely concerned
What climate change impacts are of greatest concern to your
business/organization?
52/54 - Multiple choice - choose many - optional
Employee health and safety 40.7% (22 choices)
Supply chain disruptions 35.2% (19 choices)
Property and infrastructure damage due to
extreme weather
31.5% (17
choices)
Regulatory changes 22.2% (12 choices)
Reduced demand for our products and services 18.5% (10 choices)
Our organization has no concerns 7.4% (4 choices)
Our business might benefit from climate change 3.7% (2 choices)
No answer 3.7% (2 choices)
(please specify)27.8% (15 choices)
In addition to those listed above, the most frequently mentioned concerns are the drying
of the Great Salt Lake and resulting air quality issues, which several respondents see as
existential threats to Salt Lake City and its future. Supply chain disruptions and increased
costs due to extreme weather and temperature fluctuations are also common concerns,
with impacts on packaging, shipping, and goods prices. Employee health and safety,
especially in relation to air quality and food production, is noted. There are also concerns
about reduced tourism and population loss if environmental conditions worsen. Some
respondents mention the need for better waste management and recycling, particularly in
hospitals.
Taking action on climate change is important for the long-term health of
our economy.
54/54 - Linear scale - required
5.6%
1 - St...
0%
2 - Di...
11.1%
3 - Ne...
18.5%
4 - Ag...
64.8%
5 - St...
1 - Strongly Disagree
2 - Disagree
3 - Neutral
4 - Agree
5 - Strongly Agree
What motivates or would motivate your business/organization to take
climate action?
54/54 - Multiple choice - choose many - optional
Environmental or social responsibility 64.8% (35 choices)
Employee values 37% (20 choices)
Cost savings 33.3% (18 choices)
Employee health 27.8% (15 choices)
Regulatory compliance 22.2% (12 choices)
Risk management 20.4% (11 choices)
Customer or client demand 16.7% (9 choices)
Brand reputation 16.7% (9 choices)
Investor or board expectations 11.1% (6 choices)
Climate action is not a priority for our
organization
7.4% (4
choices)
Other (please specify)1.9% (1 choice)
Does your business/organization have formal sustainability goals
and/or a climate plan?
54/54 - Multiple choice - choose one - required
No 50% (27 choices)
Yes 31.5% (17 choices)
In development 18.5% (10 choices)
Please indicate your business/organization’s interest in pursuing the
climate actions listed below.
54/54 - Matrix - required
1 -
Interested
but not
started
2 -
Completed
or in
progress
3 -
Unsure
4 - Not
interested
22.22%59.26%12.96%5.56%
27.78%18.52%22.22%31.48%
25.93%25.93%22.22%25.93%
38.89%42.59%12.96%5.56%
35.19%25.93%22.22%16.67%
29.63%33.33%22.22%14.81%
27.78%33.33%18.52%20.37%
44.44%7.41%25.93%22.22%
Measures to reduce
waste
Installing employee
EV chargers
Fleet and equipment
electrification
Implementing water
conservation
measures
Installation of
renewable energy
systems
Switching to low-
carbon
materials/supplies
Electrification of
heating and cooling
systems
Measuring and
tracking carbon
footprint of our
business
1 -
Interested
but not
started
2 -
Completed
or in
progress
3 -
Unsure
4 - Not
interested
27.78%22.22%22.22%27.78%
22.22%33.33%24.07%20.37%
31.48%27.78%22.22%18.52%
31.48%40.74%14.81%12.96%
Enrolling in grid-
supplied renewable
electricity program
Initiatives to
encourage employees
to ride transit, bikes,
or walk to work
Making infrastructure
or property more
resilient to extreme
weather events
Energy efficiency
improvements
(audits, building
envelope
enhancements,
lighting retrofits,
enhanced controls,
etc)
What are the biggest barriers you face in implementing climate action in
your business/organization?
54/54 - Multiple choice - choose many - required
Lack of funding or financial incentives 61.1% (33 choices)
Competing business priorities 44.4% (24 choices)
Limited staff capacity or expertise 33.3% (18 choices)
Difficulty measuring emissions or impacts 33.3% (18 choices)
Uncertainty about regulations or policies 24.1% (13 choices)
Lack of buy-in from leadership and/or investors 14.8% (8 choices)
Lack of access to technology or data 5.6% (3 choices)
None 5.6% (3 choices)
Not interested in implementing climate action 5.6% (3 choices)
Other: (please specify)14.8% (8 choices)
What types of support would help advance climate initiatives in your
business?
54/54 - Multiple choice - choose many - required
Access to funding or grants 66.7% (36 choices)
Policy clarity or regulatory guidance 31.5% (17 choices)
Case studies or best practices 29.6% (16 choices)
Tools for emissions tracking and reporting 27.8% (15 choices)
Technical assistance or consulting 25.9% (14 choices)
Training and workforce development 14.8% (8 choices)
Not applicable 14.8% (8 choices)
Peer learning or networking opportunities 13% (7 choices)
Other (please specify)5.6% (3 choices)
Would your business/organization be willing to participate in future
activities related to development of the City's Climate Plan?
54/54 - Multiple choice - choose one - required
Yes 64.8% (35 choices)
No 35.2% (19 choices)
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 130
Appendix B: In-Progress and Completed
Projects
Table B-1. Renewable Energy Sector Projects
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Community-Wide
Electricity
Customers
Utah Renewable
Communities
Utah Renewable Communities is a coalition of cities, counties, and other
municipalities that are pioneering renewable energy solutions. The effort is
committed to clean energy for Utah and is advancing a program to deliver a
default net-100% renewable electricity option for customers.
Pending
Approval
Municipal
Facilities
Solar PV Between 2011 and 2018, Salt Lake City SLC Corp installed more than 3,000
solar panels on government buildings and built a one megawatt solar farm on a
historical landfill.
Completed
Municipal
Facilities
Subscriber Solar
Program
Salt Lake City subscribes to Rocky Mountain Power’s Subscribe Solar program,
which provides customers with power from community solar farm in southern
Utah. The City is the largest subscriber and in 2024 received over 3,300 MWh of
solar power through this program. This provides clean energy for the City's
municipal operations.
Completed
Municipal
Facilities
Elektron Solar
Project
Salt Lake City and its partners catalyzed development of an 80-megawatt solar
PV project in Utah. The City committed to purchasing roughly half the energy
produced by the solar farm, which is approximately 80% of the City’s municipal
electricity needs.
Completed
APPENDIX B: IN-PROGRESS AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 131
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Municipal
Facilities
Net Zero New
Construction
policy
The Comprehensive Sustainability Policy requires that all new construction and
major renovations of occupied city buildings containing more than 10,000
square feet will be evaluated for the potential to meet net-zero energy
emissions standards, LEED Gold, and using all-electric technologies. Where
practicable, the building will be designed and built to this level of energy
performance.
Completed
Commercial
Buildings
Salt Lake Solar
Leaders:
Commercial
Partnership with Westside Salt Lake City business owners to install solar PV
and battery storage systems funded by corporate philanthropy. The projects
reduce utility bills, enhance facility resiliency, and provide clean energy visibility
in these neighborhoods.
Completed
Underserved
Homes and
Businesses
Solar Stewards
REC Donations
Donation of renewable energy certificates (RECs) associated with government
facilities and other buildings to support other sustainability efforts.
In Progress
Distributed
Renewable Energy
Solarize Programs Salt Lake City has previously supported or ran local solarize campaigns to
facilitate the bulk purchase of solar PV installations for participating residents.
New efforts could be pursued and align with Solar 4 Savings efforts plus other
opportunities.
In Progress
APPENDIX B: IN-PROGRESS AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 132
Table B-2. Transportation Sector Projects
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Active
Transportation
Bike Lanes and
Infrastructure
Infrastructure, policies, and programming to support bike transportation
throughout the city. The City’s Division of Transportation has installed over
291 miles of bicycle lanes to reduce vehicle miles traveled.
In Progress
Active
Transportation
400 South Viaduct Trail In partnership with UDOT, Salt Lake City is building a multi‑use trail along
the south side of 400 South from 900 West to 200 West, adding a safe
space for walking, biking, and rolling while keeping existing vehicle
capacity. This key east-west connection project will tie into existing bike
paths and public spaces.
In progress
Active
Transportation
300 West Bikeway A two‑way bikeway built along 300 West between 900 South and 400
South, improving safety, comfort, and connectivity while linking the 9‑Line
and 300 West paths to the 400 South Viaduct Trail and protected lanes on
300 South.
Completed
Active
Transportation
9 Line Trail Multi-use pathway that connects the West and East sides of Salt Lake City
along 900 South. The facility provides low stress, family friendly travel and
connects several destinations including The Jordan River, Liberty Park, and
the 900 S Pump Track. Project is completed but extensions are planned on
both ends of the project.
Completed
APPENDIX B: IN-PROGRESS AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 133
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Active
Transportation
Neighborhood Byways Neighborhood Byways are a network of people-friendly streets that
encourage active transportation for everyday trips. Residential and
commercial streets are woven together to create a safer and more friendly
network for bicycles and pedestrians. Some of the improvements on
byways include safe crossings, traffic calming, tress for shade and
comfort, and bicycle-friendly infrastructure.
In Progress
Active
Transportation
GREENbike Non-profit bike sharing program supported by public-private partnerships.
With over 400 bikes and 50 docking stations, GREENbike supported over
78,000 rides in 2025.
In Progress
Active
Transportation
E-Scooters The City works with two providers of shared e-scooters. In 2025, nearly 1
million trips were taken on shared e-scooters. The City is looking to expand
this program to make shared micromobility more reliable, accessible, safe,
and affordable.
In Progress
Transit HIVE Pass Discounted transit pass available to all Salt Lake City residents. The
program provides transit access at a 75% discount relative to the standard
monthly UTA pass, plus free access to the GREENbike program. A subset
of the HIVE pass is providing free transit passes to select participants.
In Progress
Transit Human Services Fare
Program
Program supporting the transportation needs of low-income residents
through qualified social service agencies. The program provides 6,900
daily and 2,700 monthly passes every year to service providers like
Volunteers of America and The Other Side Village.
In Progress
APPENDIX B: IN-PROGRESS AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 134
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Transit Localized Transit (VIA) On-demand transit solution created and supported in partnership with
UTA. VIA supports Salt Lake City's Westside along with various other
communities across the region.
In Progress
Transit UTA Route Frequency
and Hour of Operation
Enhancements
Partnership with Utah Transit Authority to provide more frequent service
network with expanded hours of operation, known as the GO Route.
In progress
Transit Bus Stop Infrastructure
Improvements
Upgrades or construction of new bus stops. In recent years, the City has
built or improved more than 250 bus stops.
In Progress
Municipal Fleet
Electrification
Electrified Fleet
Charging Infrastructure
Study
Detailed analysis of opportunities to electrify the City's municipal vehicle
fleet, including department-by-department assessment of EV charging
infrastructure needs and costs.
Completed
Municipal Fleet
Electrification
City Fleet Electrification Implementation of priorities identified in the SLC fleet electrification study.
A transmittal was sent to City Council in 2025 with context and suggested
next steps.
As of December 2025, Salt Lake City has 481 alternative-fueled vehicles,
including 69 all-electric. The Airport has an additional 408 alternative-
fueled vehicles, including 45 which are fully-electric vehicles and 87
electric off-highway vehicles, such as carts and lifts.
In Progress
Community
Electrified
Transportation
Community Electrified
Transportation Study
Evaluation of opportunities to support electrified transportation, including
household personal vehicles, transit, and innovative mobility options such
as rideshare and carshare. The study documented 19 priority opportunities
across four categories for electrified transportation.
Completed
APPENDIX B: IN-PROGRESS AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 135
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Community
Electrified
Transportation
EV Charging Stations on
City Property
Salt Lake City owns and operates 27 public EV charging stations at
locations such as community centers, public parks, and streetside
parking. The Airport owns over 95 public EV charging stations in parking
structures, the economy lot, and employee lots.
In Progress
Community
Electrified
Transportation
Electric Vehicle
Readiness Ordinance
Requires one EV charging station be provided per 25 required parking
spaces in new or major reconstruction of multifamily properties. In
addition, the resolution requires that 20% of parking stalls are "EV Ready,"
meaning they have electrical capacity and conduit to efficiently install EV
charging equipment either upfront or in the future.
Completed
Community
Electrified
Transportation
Enhanced EV Readiness
Ordinance
Updating the EV readiness ordinance to incorporate additional, high-value
property types for EV charging infrastructure.
In Progress
Community
Electrified
Transportation
e-Bike Incentive
Program
Launched an e-bike voucher program and distributed vouchers to help
over 300 residents purchase new e-bikes.
Completed
APPENDIX B: IN-PROGRESS AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 136
Table B-3. Buildings Sector Projects
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Commercial
Buildings
Elevate Buildings Salt Lake City commercial building benchmarking initiative which was enacted
in 2017 to reduce energy waste, support economic development, and improve
air quality. (City Code Section 18.94.060)
In Progress
Municipal
Facilities
Energy
Management Policy
The Comprehensive Sustainability Policy requires energy benchmarking and
implementation of energy performance best practices in City-owned facilities
and buildings.
In Progress
Municipal
Facilities
Net Zero New
Construction Policy
The Comprehensive Sustainability Policy requires that all new construction and
major renovations of occupied city buildings containing more than 10,000
square feet will be evaluated for the potential to meet net-zero energy emissions
standards, LEED Gold, and using all-electric technologies. Where practicable,
the building will be designed and built to this level of energy performance.
Completed
Municipal
Facilities
LED Traffic Lights
and Streetlighting
Salt Lake City has converted all of the traffic signals to LED lights—saving more
than 1,700,000 kwh and $100,000 per year. The City has also begun a long-term
program to convert all streetlights to high efficiency fixtures and is developing a
Street Lighting Implementation Plan.
In Progress
Residential
Buildings
Empower SLC Energy efficiency outreach initiative funded by the Salt Lake City Sustainability
Department and implemented by the non-profit Utah Clean Energy in 2018-
2020. Empower SLC delivers cost-savings, increased comfort, and pollution-
reduction to Westside community members.
Completed
APPENDIX B: IN-PROGRESS AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 137
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Commercial and
Residential
Buildings
Low-Carbon
Materials
The CRA and Sustainability are investigating carbon mitigation impacts of
incorporating low-carbon materials into the CRA's Sustainable Development
Policy and the City's internal procurement policies.
In Progress
Municipal
Facilities
Biogas Capture Salt Lake City began capturing methane, a byproduct of wastewater treatment,
at the City’s wastewater plant in 2005. This methane is used to power two large
electrical generators, generating both electricity and heat needed to power
treatment plant operations. Today, this co-gen facility produces almost 6 million
kilowatt hours of electricity per year, reducing the City’s GHG emissions by
2,700 tons annually.
Completed
Municipal
Facilities
New Water
Reclamation
Treatment Facility
The new water reclamation facility will replace the city’s only sewer treatment
facility and is one of the largest infrastructure improvements in SLC history. This
is the City’s first Envision project, resulting in over $16 million in savings to date
due to material reuse, with nearly 1.9 tons of waste diverted from landfills, and
over 4 million gallons of potable water conserved.
In Progress
Airport Facilities Salt Lake City
International Airport
Salt Lake City International Airport was awarded LEED Gold certification by
implementing numerous strategies to reduce emissions, minimize waste, and
conserve water.
Completed
APPENDIX B: IN-PROGRESS AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 138
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Airport Facilities Uniform and Victor
Airport Taxiway
Projects
Southern
Infrastructure
Project
The Airport is building two additional taxiways – Uniform and Victor – to improve
connectivity and increase passenger capacity. The Southern Infrastructure
Project is improving parking and airfield circulation. These projects are using the
Envision framework to improve planning and ensure sustainability and
resiliency practices are incorporated.
In Progress
APPENDIX B: IN-PROGRESS AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 139
Table B-4. Climate Resiliency & Adaptation Sector Projects
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Climate
Resiliency
Western Adaptation
Alliance
Collaborative network of cities across the Intermountain West and Southwest
working to jointly evaluate risks and opportunities related to enhancing climate
resiliency and carbon mitigation in communities.
In Progress
Climate
Resiliency
Western Water
Assessment
University-based applied research program that addresses societal
vulnerabilities to climate variability and climate change, particularly those
related to water resources in the Intermountain West.
In Progress
Heat Mitigation &
Green Spaces
Urban Tree Canopy Salt Lake City Urban Forestry strives to plant 1,000 new trees each year to
maintain a healthy thriving urban forest. As of 2025, over 5,000 new trees have
been planted on the westside of SLC since 2020.
In Progress
Heat Mitigation &
Green Spaces
Downtown
Beautification
Initiative
Salt Lake City is advancing the Downtown Beautification Initiative to expand tree
canopy, green infrastructure, and high-quality public space in the city’s most
urban neighborhoods. These improvements focus on creating shaded,
comfortable routes for walking, biking, and transit while improving air quality,
reducing urban heat, and enhancing the experience of downtown streets and
public spaces.
In Progress
Climate
Resiliency
Salt Lake
Sustainable
Infrastructure Policy
A part of the Comprehensive Sustainability Policy, the Sustainable Infrastructure
section guides internal projects and infrastructure development, including
enhancing resiliency and requiring large landscape projects to prioritize climate
resiliency and sustainability. The policy was updated in December 2023 to
include Envision and SITES as acceptable certification pathways, in addition to
LEED.
Completed
APPENDIX B: IN-PROGRESS AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 140
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Municipal
Facilities
Glendale Regional
Park
Phase 1 of the Glendale Regional Park was completed in 2025. This was the
City’s first project to follow the SITES certification process, which encourages
the design of landscapes that reduce water demand, filter and reduce
stormwater runoff, enhance biodiversity, provide pollinator and wildlife habitat,
reduce energy consumption, protect critical ecosystems, improve air quality,
and increase recreation opportunities.
Completed
Water
Conservation
Water conservation
programs
The City is engaged in over 60 water conservation programs to reduce water use
or water waste. These programs are being re-evaluated as part of the Salt Lake
City Water Conservation Plan update.
In Progress
Water
Conservation
Wake the Great Salt
Lake
Salt Lake City Arts Council project that supports temporary public art
installations dedicated to the Great Salt Lake. The goal of the project is to
educate residents and visitors about the issues surrounding the Great Salt Lake
and inspire people to action.
In Progress
Air Quality Indoor Air Quality
Pilot Program
Pilot program in 2024 that distributed air purifiers, high efficiency HVAC filters,
and plug-in induction cooktops to over 70 residences.
Completed
APPENDIX B: IN-PROGRESS AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 141
Table B-5. Food Sector Projects
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Food Access Mayor-Council Joint
Resolution on Food
Equity
Proposed passing a resolution to declare food equity a priority to the city. Presented
to City Council in February 2022, not passed, not yet revisited.
In Progress
Food Access Food Policy Council Convened body of food system stakeholders to advise on policy strategies related to
food and support advancement of relevant food access programs, policies, and
partnerships. Placed on pause in October 2023.
In Progress
Food Access Double Up Food
Bucks Program
Provided matching funding of $60K to initiate a produce purchasing incentive
program at farmers markets for SNAP recipients. Partnership with Utahns Against
Hunger.
Completed
Food Access SLC FruitShare Partnership with the Green Urban Lunch Box to harvest fruit from community member
trees throughout Salt Lake City. The program had over 3,700 trees registered and
benefited from the support of roughly 75 volunteers. Program ran with City support
and funding from 2012-2018.
Completed
Food Access Square Kitchen:
Culinary Incubator
Kitchen
Assists local food entrepreneurs by providing an affordable commercial kitchen
space for food prep plus business marketing tools and resources. City conducted a
market analysis/feasibility study and provided start-up funding.
Completed
Urban
Agriculture
Food Recovery &
Waste
Various initiatives and partnerships to recover, redistribute, and divert food waste and
organics materials from the landfill. Curbside composting is an ongoing city effort.
Partnerships and support for Waste Less Solutions and Wasatch Resource Recovery
have been completed.
In Progress
APPENDIX B: IN-PROGRESS AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 142
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Urban
Agriculture
Green City Growers Partnership between Wasatch Community Gardens and Salt Lake City Public Lands
to start and manage community gardens on Salt Lake City land. Began in 2012.
In Progress
Urban
Agriculture
SLC Urban Farming
Program
Leasing underutilized city parcels for farming to local farmers. Began in 2015, plot
leases 2018-current
In Progress
Urban
Agriculture
Urban Agriculture
Ordinance
Revisions
Updates made to zoning policies to allow more opportunities for urban agriculture
activities in the city including backyard chickens and bee keeping
Completed
Urban
Agriculture
Urban Greens
Mobile Market
Partnership with the Green Urban Lunch Box to pilot a mobile farmers market in the
Poplar Grove and Glendale neighborhoods. Ran from 2016-2018. Grant funded.
Completed
Urban
Agriculture
Local Food
Microgrant Program
Leveraged grant funds to assist local farmers in growing more diversified and
sustainable produce. Partnership with Urban Food Connections of Utah.
Completed
Urban
Agriculture
Dining with
Discretion
Online resource of climate-friendly diet options and local restaurants that focus on
sustainability.
Completed
APPENDIX B: IN-PROGRESS AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 143
Table B-6. Waste Sector Projects
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Waste Reduction,
Diversion, and
Recycling
The Recycling
Partnership
Characterization Study
A study to conduct an analysis of various waste and recycling streams,
including residential, commercial, self-haul, construction debris, organics,
and glass; and identify opportunities to improve organic and recyclable
material diversion.
In Progress
Waste Reduction,
Diversion, and
Recycling
Construction and
Demolition Ordinance
Requires a waste management plan and construction waste audit for certain
commercial and multifamily new construction projects. Plans must address
how 55% of C&D waste will be recycled or reused.
In Progress
Waste Reduction,
Diversion, and
Recycling
Pay As You Throw Rates Residential waste collection fees are tiered with increasing charges for 40-,
60-, and 90-gallon bins in order to encourage waste minimization and
diversion while appropriately funding collection and landfill costs. Next step
would be pursuing a rates study to inform potential re-design.
In Progress
Waste Reduction,
Diversion, and
Recycling
Business and
Multifamily Recycling
Ordinance
Businesses and multifamily properties that produce over 4 cubic yards of
waste per week are required to have a recycling program. These properties
produce 50% of all waste in Salt Lake City, but prior to the ordinance being
amended only 10-15% of that waste was being recycled.
In Progress
Waste Reduction,
Diversion, and
Recycling
Recycling Education
and Outreach
Education, training, and enforcement efforts to improve waste diversion and
recycling behaviors. Efforts include residential and non-residential
customers, plus internal city departments. Salt Lake City was awarded an
EPA Recycling Education and Outreach grant in 2023 to support residential
outreach and engagement and is revisiting the prior Master Recycler Program
efforts to determine if/how to reimagine and relaunch a similar program.
In Progress
APPENDIX B: IN-PROGRESS AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 144
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Waste Reduction,
Diversion, and
Recycling
Call 2 Haul Provides collection services for large bulky items that don’t fit or belong in
your weekly curbside containers, like old furniture, mattresses, appliances,
refrigerators, tires, electronic waste, and bulky green waste. Collected
materials are diverted, where possible, for recycling and composting.
In Progress
Waste Reduction,
Diversion, and
Recycling
Materials Recovery
Facility (MRF)
Waste Management opened a new, state-of-the art Materials Recovery
Facility (MRF) in Salt Lake City in 2020. This advanced recycling center allows
efficient and effective sorting and process of recyclables collected in the
region.
Completed
Waste Reduction,
Diversion, and
Recycling
Airport Glass Recycling
Program
The Airport has a glass recycling program for all concessions and airline
lounges, resulting in over 100 tons of glass recycled over the last two years.
In Progress
Waste Reduction,
Diversion, and
Recycling
Curbside Recycling
Services
Residential curbside recycling services, including voluntary glass recycling
and collection of food and green waste for diversion to a composting
program.
In Progress
Landfill Gas
Capture
Landfill Gas Capture
and Beneficial Reuse
Ensure that landfill gas capture and reuse activities are optimized for
desirable impacts, including infrastructure and operations. A new long-term
contract for landfill gas capture and reuse will be negotiated in the next two
years.
In Progress
APPENDIX B: IN-PROGRESS AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 145
Table B-7. Status of Cross Cutting Policies and Programs
Impact Area Title Description
Current
Status
Businesses and
Organizations
e2 Business
Program
Aimed to assist smaller businesses, this program is dedicated to helping Salt
Lake’s business community run in a more environmentally and economically
sustainable manner. Participation is free to any business located within Salt
Lake City limits. The current number of businesses enrolled is 50.
In Progress
Businesses and
Organizations
Airport Green
Concession
Program
Through the SLC Green Concessions Program, concessionaires across the
airport implement actions to reduce and divert waste, conserve energy and
water in their operations, use non-toxic products, and provide healthy menu
options.
In Progress
Air Quality Landscaping
Equipment
Exchange
Launched in 2023, Equipment purchase incentives for residents for all-electric
landscaping equipment, including lawn mowers, trimmers, leaf blowers, and
handheld tools.
In Progress
Carbon Removal
and Low-Carbon
Materials
4 Corners Carbon
Removal
Coalition
Salt Lake City partnered with Boulder County, Flagstaff, and Santa Fe on
innovative approaches to support low-carbon concrete plus carbon capture
and sequestration solutions.
Completed
Workforce FUSE Fellow
Program
Salt Lake City participated in the FUSE Executive Fellow program and hosted a
professional who helped evaluate workforce needs, opportunities, and
partnerships related to energy and climate occupations.
Completed
APPENDIX C: REFERENCES
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 146
Appendix C: References
1 Visit Salt Lake. (n.d.). https://www.visitsaltlake.com
2 Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. (2024). Utah’s distinctive demographic profile is youthful, aging, urban,
and more racially and ethnically diverse. https://gardner.utah.edu/news/utahs-distinctive-demographic-
profile-is-youthful-aging-urban-and-more-racially-and-ethnically-diverse/
3 Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. (2024). Utah’s distinctive demographic profile is youthful, aging, urban,
and more racially and ethnically diverse. https://gardner.utah.edu/news/utahs-distinctive-demographic-
profile-is-youthful-aging-urban-and-more-racially-and-ethnically-diverse/
4 Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. (2024). Utah Demographic Characteristics.
https://d36oiwf74r1rap.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DivDataBook-May2024.pdf
5 Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. (2025). Salt Lake City Data Book.
https://d36oiwf74r1rap.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/DiversityDataBook-May2021.pdf
6 Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. (2023). Salt Lake City’s Foreign-Born Residents: Demographics of a
Dynamic Population https://d36oiwf74r1rap.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/SLCForeignBorn-
May2023.pdf
7 Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. (2025). Salt Lake City Data Book.
https://d36oiwf74r1rap.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SLC-DataBook-Apr2025.pdf
8 Building Salt Lake. (2018). Report shows Salt Lake housing still segregated by race.
https://buildingsaltlake.com/report-shows-salt-lake-housing-still-segregated-by-race/
9 Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. (2025). Salt Lake City Data Book.
https://d36oiwf74r1rap.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SLC-DataBook-Apr2025.pdf
10 Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. (2024). Utah Demographic Characteristics.
https://d36oiwf74r1rap.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DivDataBook-May2024.pdf
11 Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. (2024). Diversity in Utah Data Book: Race, Ethnicity, and Sex.
https://d36oiwf74r1rap.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/DiversityDataBook-May2021.pdf
12 Salt Lake City. (n.d.). Housing SLC: Key findings. https://www.slc.gov/can/housing-slc-key-findings/
13 Salt Lake City. (2023) Thriving in Place: Salt Lake City’s Anti-Displacement Strategy.
https://www.slc.gov/can/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/12/TIPSTRATEGYDOC-FINALADOPTEDPLAN-
OCT2023-1.pdf
14 Salt Lake City Department of Community and Neighborhoods. (2023). Housing SLC Plan: Final with
appendices. https://www.slc.gov/can/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/05/Housing-SLC-Plan_Final-
with-Appendices.pdf
15 Urban Displacement Project. (2022). Salt Lake City: Rent burden analysis. https://urban-
displacement.github.io/edr-ut/slc_edr_report/
16 Urban Displacement Project. (2022). Salt Lake City: Rent burden analysis. https://urban-
displacement.github.io/edr-ut/slc_edr_report/
APPENDIX C: REFERENCES
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 147
17 Salt Lake City Department of Community and Neighborhoods. (2023) Thriving in Place: Salt Lake City’s
Anti-Displacement Strategy. https://www.slc.gov/can/wp-
content/uploads/sites/8/2023/12/TIPSTRATEGYDOC-FINALADOPTEDPLAN-OCT2023-1.pdf
18Apartment List. (2024). Cost of living in Salt Lake City. https://www.apartmentlist.com/renter-life/cost-
of-living-in-salt-lake-city#how-much-are-utilities-in-salt-lake-city
19 Salt Lake City Department of Community and Neighborhoods. (2023). Housing SLC Plan: Final with
appendices. https://www.slc.gov/can/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/05/Housing-SLC-Plan_Final-
with-Appendices.pdf
20 Salt Lake City. (2023) Thriving in Place: Salt Lake City’s Anti-Displacement Strategy.
https://www.slc.gov/can/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/12/TIPSTRATEGYDOC-FINALADOPTEDPLAN-
OCT2023-1.pdf
21 Salt Lake City Department of Community and Neighborhoods. (2023) Thriving in Place: Salt Lake City’s
Anti-Displacement Strategy. https://www.slc.gov/can/wp-
content/uploads/sites/8/2023/12/TIPSTRATEGYDOC-FINALADOPTEDPLAN-OCT2023-1.pdf
22 KSL. (2023). Where are the children? New report outlines Salt Lake City's youth population decline
https://www.ksl.com/article/50801234/where-are-the-children-new-report-outlines-salt-lake-citys-
youth-population-decline
23 Salt Lake City Department of Community and Neighborhoods. (2023). Housing SLC Plan: Final with
appendices. https://www.slc.gov/can/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/05/Housing-SLC-Plan_Final-
with-Appendices.pdf
24 Salt Lake City Department of Community and Neighborhoods. (2023). Housing SLC Plan: Final with
appendices. https://www.slc.gov/can/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/05/Housing-SLC-Plan_Final-
with-Appendices.pdf
25 Salt Lake City Department of Community and Neighborhoods. (2023) Thriving in Place.
https://www.slc.gov/can/wp-content/upload. https://www.slc.gov/can/thriving-in-place/
26 Salt Lake City Department of Community and Neighborhoods. (2023) Thriving in Place.
https://www.slc.gov/can/wp-content/upload. https://www.slc.gov/can/thriving-in-place/
27 Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. (2024). Utah leads the nation in GDP growth, reflecting a strong overall
2024 economy. https://gardner.utah.edu/news/utah-leads-the-nation-in-gdp-growth-reflecting-a-strong-
overall-2024-economy
28 KUER. (2025). A ‘stunning number’: 1 in 4 Utah jobs are found in Salt Lake City.
https://www.kuer.org/business-economy/2025-05-13/a-stunning-number-1-in-4-utah-jobs-are-found-in-
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Regional Smoke, Ozone and Aerosol Study (SAMOZA) 2022. Journal of Geophysical Research.
Atmospheres, 129(e2024JD041640).
158 Horel, J. D., Johnson, C., & Jacques, A. A. (2025). Impacts of Boundary Layer Processes On Ozone
Concentrations During Salt Lake City 2024 Ozone Campaigns. 105th Annual AMS Meeting.
159 Horel, J. C. (2016). Summer ozone concentrations in the vicinity of the Great Salt Lake. 17(9), 480-486.
Atmospheric Science Letters, 17(480-486).
160 Mendoza, D. L. (2024). Electric buses as an air pollution and meteorological observation network:
methodology and preliminary results. Science of the Total Environment, 51(175327).
161 J. Willard Marriott Library – Digital Exhibitions. The history of air quality in Utah.
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/history-of-air-quality-in-utah/page/welcome.
162 Mitchell, L. E., & Zajchowski, C. A. (2022). The history of air quality in Utah: a narrative
review. Sustainability, 14(15), 9653.
163 Mendoza, D. L. (2020). Impact of low-level fine particulate matter and ozone exposure on absences in
K-12 students and economic consequences. Environmental Research Letters, 15(11), 114052.
164 Beard, J. D. (2012). Winter temperature inversions and emergency department visits for asthma in Salt
Lake County, Utah, 2003–2008. Environmental Health Perspectives, 120(10), 1385-1390.
165 Sierra Club Magazine. (2025). Why the Shrinking Great Salt Lake Is a Public Health Crisis.
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/why-shrinking-great-salt-lake-public-health-crisis
166 Department of Air Quality. (2025). Understanding Great Salt Lake Dust and Air Quality.
https://deq.utah.gov/air-quality/great-salt-lake-dust
167 Jung, J. F. (2024). Toxic elements in benthic lacustrine sediments of Utah’s Great Salt Lake following a
historic low in elevation. Frontiers in Soil Science, 4(1445792).
168 Errigo, I. M. (2020). Human Health and Economic Costs of Air Pollution in Utah. Brigham Young
University. https://pws.byu.edu/ben-abbott-lab/human-health-and-economic-costs-of-air-pollution-in-
utah
169 Lin, J. C. (2023). Towards hyperlocal source identification of pollutants in cities by combining mobile
measurements with atmospheric modeling. Atmospheric Environment, 311, 119995.
170 Mendoza, D. L. (2020). Impact of low-level fine particulate matter and ozone exposure on absences in
K-12 students and economic consequences. Environmental Research Letters, 15(11), 114052.
171 The Salt Lake Tribune. (2023). Reaching for Air: How a historic mistake led to Salt Lake City’s pollution
nightmare. https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/11/14/reaching-air-how-historic-mistake
APPENDIX C: REFERENCES
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 156
172 Department of Environmental Quality. (2025). Environmental Interactive Map.
https://enviro.deq.utah.gov/
173 https://enviro.deq.utah.gov/.
174 Fusion of model and monitor data from 2017 as compiled by CEJST, sourced from EPA National Air
Toxics Assessment (NATA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) traffic data.
175 UGRC. (2025). Utah DAQ Air Emissions Inventory. https://gis.utah.gov/products/sgid/environment/air-
emissions-inventory/
176 Fusion of monitor data and CMAQ air quality modeling for EJScreen.
177 U.S. Department of Energy. (n.d.). Low-income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD).
https://www.energy.gov/scep/slsc/lead-tool
178 Kashtan, Y. S. (2023). Gas and propane combustion from stoves emits benzene and increases indoor
air pollution. Environmental Science & Technology, 57(26), 9653-9663.
179 Garg, A. K. (2025). Exposure and health risks of benzene from combustion by gas stoves: A modelling
approach in US homes. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 492, 137986.
180 Lin, W. B. (2013). Meta-analysis of the effects of indoor nitrogen dioxide and gas cooking on asthma
and wheeze in children. International Journal of Epidemiology, 42(6), 1724-1737.
181 Gruenwald, T. S. (2023). Population attributable fraction of gas stoves and childhood asthma in the
United States. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(1), 75.
182 Zhu, Y. R. (2020). Effects of Residential Gas Appliances on Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality and Public
Health in California. https://ucla.app.box.com/s/xyzt8jc1ixnetiv0269qe704wu0ihif7
183 National Center for Healthy Housing. (2022). Studying the Optimal Ventilation for Environmental
Indoor Air Quality. Enterprise Community Partners. https://nchh.org/research/stove-iaq .
184 The Salt Lake Tribune. (2025). Utahns face elevated risk of radon, non-smoking lung cancer. Here’s
where that risk is higher. https://www.sltrib.com/news/health/2025/03/01/radon-utah-heres-where-
theres
185 UtahRadon.org. (2026). Utah families face a growing radon risk.
https://www.ksl.com/article/51442129/utah-families-face-a-growing-radon-risk
186 Utah Clean Energy. (2022). Empowering Our Westside Communities through Energy Upgrades.
https://utahcleanenergy.org/empowering-our-westside-communities-through-energy-upgrades
187 Zhu, Y. R. (2020). Effects of Residential Gas Appliances on Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality and Public
Health in California. https://ucla.app.box.com/s/xyzt8jc1ixnetiv0269qe704wu0ihif7
188 Environmental Defense Fund et al. (2025). The U.S. Climate Vulnerability Index.
https://climatevulnerabilityindex.org
189 The Salt Lake Tribune. (2025). Utahns face elevated risk of radon, non-smoking lung cancer. Here’s
where that risk is higher. https://www.sltrib.com/news/health/2025/03/01/radon-utah-heres-where-
theres
190 Environmental Defense Fund et al. (2025). The U.S. Climate Vulnerability Index.
https://climatevulnerabilityindex.org/
APPENDIX C: REFERENCES
SALT LAKE CITY CLIMATE EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 157
191 White House Council on Environmental Quality. (n.d.). Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool.
https://edgi-govdata-archiving.github.io/j40-cejst-2/en/methodology#3/33.47/-97.5.
192 Salt Lake City’s community GHG inventory currently does not reflect “consumption-based” emissions,
such as the upstream impacts of food consumption and embedded emissions from other activities
including the purchase and use of material goods. Reducing consumption-based emissions is important
for mitigating climate change, but calculating impacts is more complicated and this approach to a GHG
inventory is not yet typical for communities that set and track climate-related goals.
193 Salt Lake City Sustainability Department (2024). Priority Climate Action Plan.
https://www.slcdocs.com/slcgreen/CPRG/SLCLEAR_Priority_Climate_Action_Plan.pdf
194 Salt Lake City Sustainability Department (2025). Community Electrified Transportation Study.
https://www.slcdocs.com/slcgreen/Community_Electrified_Transportation_Study.pdf