For years, we have been allowing local UTV businesses to offload their negative externalities on the whole community. They get to profit off of noise pollution and we have to pay the price. Some have declared that to regulate these businesses is somehow an infringement on their freedom, even un-American. “Regulation” has become a four-letter word.
But consider this: when you go out to eat at a restaurant, would you be ok if they had no health regulations on how your food was stored or cooked? What if there were no regulations on the cleanliness of your tap water – would you drink it? The fact is that regulations are necessary to keep us all healthy, and noise regulation is no different.
Noise is unquestionably a public health issue – for those who are unsure of this claim, a quick internet search should resolve any doubts. When we allow these businesses to get away unregulated, we are sacrificing the health and wellbeing of the whole community. And for what? So that a handful of business owners profit while the rest of us suffer? It’s time to stand up for the citizens of this town. We need strong noise regulations to end this public nuisance.
Jared Trader
Moab
