Utah Legislature Environmental Awareness Education Project 104
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Intern Project: Facts, Fiction, Futures, and Vision - for Utah A new project by Distinguished Professor Joe Andrade (www.2andrade.org ) will involve 1 - 3 interns Summer Term. Each intern will receive a $1000 scholarship for Summer term work, upon submission of the project final report. There may be a Fall Term opportunity as well. Interns will meet weekly with Dr. Andrade as a group and communicate regularly via email, phone, and social media. There are 29 Senatorial Districts and 75 House Districts. One intern will focus on the 29 Senate Districts; the other two interns will split/share the 75 House Districts. Using online resources, including www.le.utah.gov www.votesmart.org and others the Districts maps, towns, elected legislators and 2014 candidates will be identified and their positions, statements, and platforms regarding environmental, sustainability, and related topics will be noted and summarized. After fact checking and additional research, the interns will work with district-based colleges, high schools, newspapers, radio stations, and community groups to help inform the district constituents as to positions and platforms, with an emphasis on Facts, Fictions, Futures, and Vision. These activities will be non-political and no endorsements or other partisan, political activities will be part of this project. The goal is awareness and information - as factual and reliable as possible. Interns will gain experience with research using online tools, critical analysis of available information, fact-checking, interviews, etc. They will also gain experience with the media, including print, radio, and public meetings or events. They will gain experience in writing summaries, reviews, and critiques for various media, including social media (Twitter, Facebook, Blogs). Interested students should contact Prof. Andrade at 801-706-6747 and at [email protected] and submit a brief resume and statement of interest. Project 104 Process, Strategy, and Perspectives on Questions Know District, candidate’s background, web-site, sensitivities. Be personable, but efficient. Thank, congratulate him/her for service/running interest in political process. Ask about key, major reason for running, serving. Write it down. Say you’re a UU/USU student, project. Say you want to ask a few questions relevant to you, the district, the state. OK? Will be very brief! Write down brief, summary responses and comments. 1. air pollution Wasatch Front Winter:,particles, inversions, cars, industry, heating; Wasatch Front Summer: ozone, hydrocarbons Uinta Basin Winter: ozone, hydrocarbons 2. farming and ranching Water availability, cost issues Range degradation issues. BLM and private/state lands. 3. mineral extraction-fossil fuels energy storage, renewables, geothermal 4. winter recreation, snow, ski also particle coating, greying, rapid melting 5. population doubling land, water, air, education, jobs 3/4 increase due to birthrate 1/4 increase is people moving in (not the immigration word). 6. Wasatch Front non-attainment Federal funds curtailed fuel, car, truck curtailments curtail growth, permits, etc. 7. Education Utah far last in per student funding Is funding appropriate? Are teachers competent? Are the children being appropriately prepared? 8. Health Care Medicare, Medicaid, VA 9. Poverty will fill in minimum wage? 10. Other major issue, concern Political campaign reform - get $$ out elected official ethics open primaries Intern Project: Project 104 - Facts, Fiction, Futures, and Vision - for Utah A new project by Distinguished Professor Joe Andrade (www.2andrade.org ) will involve 3 interns Summer Term (5-15 through 8-1, 2014). There may be a Fall Term opportunity as well. Interns will meet weekly with Dr. Andrade as a group and communicate regularly via email, phone, and social media. There are 29 Senatorial Districts and 75 House Districts. One intern will focus on the 29 Senate Districts; the other two interns will split/share the 75 House Districts. Using online resources, including www.le.utah.gov www.votesmart.org and others. The Districts maps, towns, elected legislators and 2014 candidates will be identified and their positions, statements, and platforms regarding environmental, sustainability, and related topics will be noted and summarized. After fact checking and additional research, the interns will work with district-based colleges, high schools, newspapers, radio stations, libraries, and community groups to help inform the district constituents as to positions and platforms, with an emphasis on Facts, Fictions, Futures, and Vision. These activities will be non-political and no endorsements or other partisan, political activities will be part of this project. The goal is awareness and information - as factual and reliable as possible. Interns will gain experience with research using online tools, critical analysis of available information, fact-checking, interviews, etc. They will also gain experience with the media, including print, radio, and public meetings or events. They will gain experience in writing summaries, reviews, and critiques for various media, including social media (Twitter, Facebook, Blogs). District maps are at: http://elections.utah.gov/map/district-maps Candidate filings, addresses are at: http://elections.utah.gov/election-resources/2014-candidate-filings#Senate Current Utah Legislature members : http://le.utah.gov/documents/2014.roster.pdf Utah Newspapers: http://www.utahpress.com/pages/members_main Utah High School locations: http://www.uhsaa.org/schools/directory/maps-2.html student newspapers political science clubs journalism clubs environment/sustainability clubs Utah Colleges and Universities: http://www.utah.gov/education/colleges.html student newspapers political science clubs journalism clubs environment/sustainability clubs Local Libraries: http://www.publiclibraries.com/utah.htm Local Museums Utah Museum Assoc. https://www.utahmuseums.org/museum-directory Joe Andrade is at 801-706-6747 [email protected] www.2andrade.org 14 Senate seats are up for election 11-2014; districts: 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 15, 17, 18, 21, 22, 26, 28 all 75 house seats are up for election. Project 104: Questions and notes Name: Phone: House or Senate? District # Party Date: RR/BN? Questions Notes 1. Air and Health Are you aware of the studies and concerns related to health issues due to the air quality along the Wasatch Front (WF)? - in the Uinta Basin (UP)? Cache Valley (CV)? Are you concerned? 2. Energy Extraction of the fossil fuels coal, oil, and gas has strengthened Utah economies. What concerns do you have for the future of those activities? 3. Snow Winter recreation activities are important to Utah’s economy. A lowering snow pack and a shorter snow season will result in decreased revenues. Are you concerned? 4. Water Utah will likely suffer water limitations in the years ahead. How might farmers and ranchers respond to such problems? 5. Growth The state and its urban areas are planning for a doubling of population in the next 25 years. Does this concern you? 6. Education What concerns do you have for public education in your district and in the state? Candidate interview p-2 Name: Date: 7. Health Care What concerns do you have regarding health care delivery and affordability in your district and in the state? 8. EPA Wasatch Front and Cache Valley air quality, especially in the winter, has been deteriorating - to the point where those regions may soon be declared non-attainment regions. Does this concern you? 9. Poverty What concerns do you have about poverty and rates of poverty in Utah? 10. Other What other issues motivate you to participate in state government? Perspectives/Summary (by RR or BN?) Project 104 Summer 2014 Here's the District breakdown and assignments via: Rachelle: Senate Districts 2 SLC 3 So SL 5 Taylorsville West 9 Sandy 11 Draper Bluffdale 12 Magna 26 Duchesne Vernal Blake: Senate Districts 4 Holladay 15 Orem Provo 17 Wendover NW UT Brigham City Tremonton 18 Morgan So Ogden Riverdale 21 Syracuse Westpoint 22 Farmington Kaysville 28 Cedar City Blake House Districts 1 NW Utah 2 Eagle Mountain 3 Smithfield 4 Cache County 5 Hyrum So Cache 6 Lehi 7 No Ogden 8 Huntsville 9 Westhaven W Ogden 10 So Ogden 11 Riverdale 12 Roy 13 Clinton Westpoint 14 Syracuse 15 Layton 16 No. of Layton 17 Kaysville 18 Farmington 19 Bountiful 20 No. SL and west 27 Alpine 29 Plain City 48 W. of Orem 53 Coalville Morgan 54 Heber City Rachelle House Districts 22 Magna 24 East SLC 25 Central SLC 26 West SLC 28 SL East Bench 30 West WVC 31 No. WVC 32 So. Sandy 33 WVC 34 Taylorsville 35 So SL W. Holladay 36 So. East Bench 38 W. SL County 39 W. Taylorsville 41 Bluffdale 42 N. of Herriman 43 W Jordan 44 Midvale 45 Sandy 47 So. of W Jordan 49 W. of Sandy 50 So Jordan 51 Draper 52 Herriman 55 Vernal Joe House Districts 21 Tooele 23 Rose Park 37 Murray 40 Mill Creek 46 Cottonwood Heights 56 American Fork 57 Pleasant Grove 58 Nephi Manti 59 Orem Lindon 60 Orem UVU 61 Vineyard 62 Washington 63 Provo West 64 Provo South 65 Mapleton 66 Spanish Fork 67 Santaquin Payson 68 Fillmore West of Tooele 69 Price Duchesne 70 Richfield and West 71 Hurricane Springdale 72 Cedar City 73 Beaver to Monticello, Torrey, Kanab 74 Santa Clara Ivins 75 St. George Final Report for Project 104: Rachelle Rawlins Objective: The objective of this project to gain a closer perspective on those seeking or holding elected office in the Utah State Legislature and to gauge their views upon challenges facing the State of Utah, such as environmental degradation and pollution, population growth, poverty, employment and education. In asking these questions we are not only informing the general public but also our own elected officials and those who are running. Questions: 1. Are you aware of the studies and concerns related to health issues due to the air quality along the Wasatch Front (WF)? 2. Wasatch Front and Cache Valley air quality, especially in the winter, has been deteriorating - to the point where those regions may soon be declared non-attainment regions.