Teen Activists File Lawsuit Against Utah State Over Polluted Air

Young activists in Utah are suing over the poor air quality and taking on politicians who are enabling the damaging fossil fuel industry.

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Natalie R., a 15-year-old from Utah, was so fed up with the horrible air quality that she teamed up with seven other teen activists and Our Children’s Trust to take on the state. Our Children’s Trust is a nonprofit law firm that is concentrated on climate justice issues.

The case, Natalia R. v. State of Utah, alleges that the state and officials are unconstitutionally putting the fossil fuel industry and companies above the welfare of their resident’s health and safety.

Andrew Welle, lead counsel for the lawsuit, told Gizmodo, “Utah in particular has a very serious problem with fossil fuel [based] air Pollution… We have the data to show that it’s particularly dangerous [for young people] because of their developing bodies and unique vulnerabilities as young people,” Welle continued. “Instead of protecting their young people and transitioning off of fossil fuels, the state has really doubled down.”

Source: Jack Harries/Youtube

According to a report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 61 percent of Utah’s electricity comes from coal, while only 14 percent comes from renewable sources. Due to massive wildfires in the region last summer, Utah temporarily had the worst air quality worldwide.

“These youth are, by and large, all under the age of 18. They can’t vote. They can’t go to the legislature and change their policies through the political process… They’re in a climate emergency. They need relief today,” Welle told Angely Mercado at Gizmodo.

Mercado also spoke with the high school climate activist and leader behind this, Natalie. Natalie lives in Salt Lake City, and she is a part of the Fridays for Future Utah Movement. She told Mercado she has planned a few climate strikes and discovered the Our Children’s Trust when she was presenting with the Sierra Club.

“Then we started an interview process to figure out how we would pursue this lawsuit, and since then six other people have joined. Since my complaint is the first listed, it just happens to be my name, but we’re all equally part of it.”

Natalie hopes the court will decide that their constitutional rights are being violated, and it will hopefully lead to a change for all Utah residents. She went on to explain that many of the Utah laws in place directly Support the fossil fuel industry, which is mainly responsible for the air quality problems.

Natalie then said she loves to go outside and be active, but sometimes the air quality is so bad, it’s deemed toxic and harmful to the public.

“That’s a violation of my rights, because I should be able to go outside.”

Natalie wants people to know that the lawsuit is not about the state not doing enough to combat Climate change, “It’s that they’re actively contributing to it through the laws that they’ve enacted. And so while they are, in a sense, not doing enough, they are also actively contributing. A win in this case would reduce emissions, help improve the air quality, and in general provide a better climate.”

Young people all around the world are standing up against Climate change and calling for officials to take responsibility and focus on the large problem at hand. From Greta Thunberg’s Fridays For Future Movement to the recent worldwide protests against the climate-destroying Russian war, young people are making it known that they will not stand for this during their lifetimes. We applaud the teens in Utah standing up for change! We have a long way to go, and officials should know the fight isn’t over! Sign this petition to fight Climate change in Utah!

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