Letter: Ogden pastors oppose inland port in Weber County
The God of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures is quite clear: choose life, that ye may live (Deuteronomy 30:19). We are Protestant pastors who serve two churches in Weber County, and we are concerned about the almost 9000-acre “inland port” being planned for the eastern shores of Great Salt Lake, overriding the peaceful wetlands nestled between two areas dedicated to wildlife in Weber County.
The Bible’s ancient wisdom is relevant for all humanity: take care of the earth, and the earth will take care of you. To think that we can find a way for heavy industry to coexist with nature in a sensitive ecological area reminds us of the sin of pride. It is a deadly delusion to think we can put our material desires first without causing nature to suffer. The bird habitat and ecology of Great Salt Lake represent our gift of God’s creation, which we are called to steward. This region is sacred to so many important faith traditions. Spending public money on enormously expensive and wasteful development, the filling in and paving over unstable wetlands, is a greedy insult to the rich Creation that God has given us.
Voting to move ahead with the Weber County Inland Port project will likely take place soon, and Weber County residents deserve to have a voice on this issue. If you are concerned about the damage the project will do to Weber County, Great Salt Lake, and the greater Salt Lake Valley, we urge you to get involved and help protect God’s creation here in Zion.
If you live in Weber County please sign on to this letter to Weber County Commissioners (https://tinyurl.com/yeutswcw). For Weber County residents and everyone else — please sign the petition to the Utah Inland Port Authority Board calling on them to say NO to the Weber County Inland Port proposals (https://tinyurl.com/4snv8ke5).
The Rev. Chelsea Page, Elim Lutheran Church
The Rev. Scott Wipperman, Trinity Presbyterian Church
Ogden