Janet Kinneberg

@jkinneberg

Grateful for my time on our amazing planet. Here to learn from & support experts in their fields #climate #health #law #science #politics 🇺🇦 Humans are a young species — & that gives me a bit of hope. Mom to 2 wonderful men — so not giving up #Utah #Impeach

1.588 Folgt1.491 Follower1.521 Posts

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Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· 22d

Please read @pettertornberg.com paper! "Polarization fails to distinguish between conflict within democratic rules and conflict over democratic rules, recasting authoritarian abuses as just another partisan claim. The result is not neutrality but normalization, blurring the line..” #complicity

›
"The fate of democracy depends not on narrowing opinion gaps, but on confronting the
mechanisms by which one political pole undermines pluralism and pulls the system in its wake."
"Polarization fails to distinguish between conflict within democratic rules and conflict over democratic rules, recasting authoritarian abuses as just another partisan claim. The result is not neutrality but normalization, blurring the line between democratic contestation and democratic erosion."

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· 24d

“You cannot have a democracy if a fourth of your population cannot vote” ~ @darlenemcdonald.com “Good Trouble Lives On” event at Liberty Park! Grateful for groups joining together to Teach!Reach!Preach! & network @aclu.org @lwv.org @slindivisible.bsky.social #Vote like our democracy depends on it

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· 24d

We collectively call these lies part of the “polarization” of our society. It’s not - it’s radicalization! [By depicting authoritarian politics as merely one pole of a diverging spectrum, it grants legitimacy to actors who reject pluralism and democratic institutions] bsky.app/profile/pett...

From article: [If crisis is understood as distance, then remedies are framed as civility, bipartisanship, and compromise. Yet when one side is radicalizing toward authoritarianism, centrism is not a cure but an accelerant. The focus on opinion space diverts attention from the actual mechanisms of democratic erosion:
identity-based belonging, threat construction, norm violation, and political a creeping tolerance for violence.]
[By depicting authoritarian politics as merely one pole of a diverging spectrum, it grants legitimacy to actors who reject pluralism and democratic institutions.

Instead of identifying a threat to democracy, the polarization frame
integrates it into a stylized geometry of disagreement. It thereby risks normalizing the abnormal by recasting authoritarianism as just another pole in partisan geometry, transforming assaults on pluralism and rule of law into technical problems of distance and civility.]

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· 25d

Are you also sickened by what they’ve done to Bears Ears + Grand Staircase? Explore Monument Watch Tool by @morethanjustparks.bsky.social ~ 9/11/26 excluded acres become available for new mining claims + mineral leasing No Tribal input. Another Illegal grab morethanjustparks.com/monument-watch

The Salt Lake Tribune •

Reps. Celeste Maloy and Mike Kennedy, Sens.
John Curtis and Mike Lee, Governor Spencer Cox and state House Speaker Mike Schultz were on hand to celebrate as Donald Trump signed executive orders shrinking Grand
Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments by about 90%.

deseret.com
POLITICS
Tribal leaders say they weren't consulted before
Trump order shrunk 2 Utah
national monuments
Members of tribal coalitions aimed toward preserving the national monuments said there was
'no consultation initiated with tribes' ahead of the executive orders
Published: July 14, 2026

Photo includes children running in a field with Bears Ears in background

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· 25d

Here’s the F scorecard for UT Sen John Curtis: all the bills and confirmations he voted for. Has he represented Utahns AT ALL? Sample script here: @morethanjustparks.bsky.social Note that he’s no different than UT Sen Mike Lee or Reps Kennedy, Owens, Maloy, or Moore. They’re all F’s voting record

More Than Just Parks

John Curtis
Republican Senator from Utah • Ranked #87 of 99
PUBLIS LANDS SCORE
F
0%
VOTE RECORD
• Burgum Confirmation
Confirmation • PN11-3
Anti-lands
PN11-3
• Rollins Agriculture Confirmation
Confirmation • PN11-12
Anti-lands
PN11-12
• Reinstating Fired Land Managers
Amendment • S.Amdt. 540
Anti-lands
S. Amdt. 540
• Overturning Marine Heritage Protections
CRA • S.J.Res.11
Anti-lands
S.J.Res.11
• Preventing Public Lands Sell-Off
Amendment • S.Amdt. 2107
S. Amdt. 2107
• Overturning Glen Canyon Safeguards
CRA • H.J.Res.60
Anti-lands
H.J. Res.60
Anti-lands
Overturning Miles City BLM Protections (MT)

MoreThanJustParks.com

Overturning North Dakota BLM Protections
CRA • H.J.Res.105
Anti-lands
H.J.Res.105
Overturning Central Yukon Protections (AK) CRA • H.J. Res.106
Anti-lands
H.J.Res.106
Opening Western Arctic to Drilling
CRA • S.J. Res.80
Anti-lands S.J.Res. 80
Overturning Powder River Basin Coal
Protections (WY)
CRA • H.J.Res.130
Anti-lands
H.J.Res.130
• Opening Arctic Refuge to Drilling
CRA • H.J.Res.131
Anti-lands
H.J.Res. 131
• Overturning Boundary Waters Mining Ban
CRA • H.J.Res.140
Anti-lands
H.J.Res. 140
•
PN13-10
MacGregor Deputy Interior
Confirmation •

Morethanjustparks.com

Vaden Deputy Agriculture
Confirmation • PN12-43
Anti-lands
PN12-43
Nesvik USFWS Director
Confirmation • PN25-35
Anti-lands
Boren USDA Under Secretary (En Bloc)
Confirmation • S.Res. 412
Missed
S. Res.412
PN25-35
CALL SCRIPT
Hello, my name is [your name] and I am a constituent from Utah. I am calling because Senator Curtis voted to pass a reconciliation bill mandating Arctic Refuge drilling, coal leasing on four million acres, coal royalty cuts, doubled timber targets on national forests, and rescinding conservation funding, confirm a Deputy Agriculture Secretary overseeing the Forest Service and confirm a USFWS Director who publicly supports delisting gray wolves. These are places where Americans hike, hunt, fish, and camp. I am asking Senator Curtis to oppose any further attacks on our public lands. Thank you for your time.
Capitol
Switchboard
(202) 224-
3121

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· 29d

Ryan Schwenk quit his job with ICE as Asst Chief Counsel in order to testify to ICE training abuses: "deficient, defective, and broken." He was ordered to teach new ICE cadets to violate the Constitution while teaching the law. Watch his entire C-SPAN testimony here: www.c-span.org/clip/public-...

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· Jul 10

My kids played Junior Jazz here years ago - Sandy kids deserve same opportunities now. Wasatch Garden in Historic Sandy needs a new home, too, & Sandy employees deserve better office space! Less than $5/mo on a $700k home and if max loan amt not used, loan pd back early. Pls share w Sandy friends

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· Jul 10

Sandy City, UT residents: an amazing opportunity for open space & a building w 60 years of service left for a bargain price! 17 acres adjacent to current Sandy park & TRAX line. Option 1 keeps entire fmr Middle School & surrounding area intact w renovations. Comment! sandy.utah.gov/the-future-o...

The Crescent View Opportunity

What makes this property unique?
• Former Crescent View Middle School
• Approximately 17 acres adjacent to Crescent Park
• More than 128,000 square feet of existing building space
• Adjacent to the Porter Rockwell Trail and Trax
• Located in one of Sandy's established neighborhoods
Why is this important?
Large parcels of land connected to existing parks and trails rarely become available in Sandy. The future of this property could influence recreation, housing, arts, open space and community services for generations.
How Could This Be Funded?
If Sandy City chooses to purchase the property, funding would require voter approval through a bond.
The amount and structure of any potential bond would depend on the concept selected. No funding decisions have been made.
Your feedback will help inform future discussions regarding funding and potential costs.
LEARN MORE & GIVE
US YOUR FEEDBACK
HEART OF THE WASATCH
Sandy
SANDY.UTAH.GOV/CrescentView

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· Jun 21

EDITORIAL| APRIL 29 2026 Misguided Brushes of a Pen Continue to Dismantle and Destroy Biomedical Research in the United States: We Can No Longer Afford Complacency and Fear. We Must All Act Now! READ Dr Steven E. Kahn Corresponding Author (kicked out by cops) diabetesjournals.org/care/article...

watch the crippling of scientific advances in diabetes and all other diseases?
Given the proposed budget cuts and the reduction in opportunities for scientists with appropriate expertise to continue their work and drive new science, we as clinicians, scientists, and U.S. citizens call on members of all communities in our country to make their thoughts known.
While we have focused this editorial on diabetes, the threat is not limited to this disease. The proposed changes could affect progress for every disease and every American. There is an urgent need for all of us to bring attention to these destructive processes and halt them before the ongoing and proposed dissolution and destruction of critical components of our biomedical research infrastructure are com-pleted. Enough is enough! We call on all concerned citizens of our beloved country to contact their congressional representatives to declare their alarm about what is happening at HHS. We also request that

all organizations established to ensure the health and welfare of U.S. citizens clearly and loudly make their voices heard and declare their alarm about what is happening at HHS. It is no longer enough to stand idly by or work behind the scenes with law-makers. Moreover, it is no longer appropriate to fret about political backlash. Now is the time to recognize and fight to reverse the spiraling fall of the United States of America's status as the foremost nation in health care innovation. As a nation, we must continue to believe in ensuring better health for all.
A few brushes of a pen, some clearly visible through budget requests, others less so through internal machinations, are rapidly destroying what generations have built. We can no longer afford complacency and fear. We must all act now!

Misguided Brushes of a Pen Continue to Dismantle and Destroy Biomedical Research in the United States: We Can No Longer Afford Complacency and Fear. We Must All Act Now!
Diabetes Care 2026;49:901-905| https://doi.org/10.2337/dci26-0068
Steven E. Kahn, Cheryl A.M. Anderson, L John B. Buse, and Elizabeth Selvin®
EDITORIAL
The opinions expressed in this editorial are the personal views of the authors (S.E.
Kahn, C.A.M. Anderson, J.B. Buse, and E. Selvin)
Just a year ago, in these very pages, we highlighted the many threats the current U.S. administration posed to the health of our nation (. Since then, there have been actions by the administration that have caused grave health consequences, and their current approach will continue to do so. The numerous measles outbreaks and associated avoidable deaths have resulted in part from hyping disproven theories of harm rather than publicizing the effectiveness of the measles
vaccine
(2). Plugging the concept that diabetes is curable by "changing the food source" (3) simply ignores the large body of work that has demonstrated that it is not merely a disease of poor nutrition and the immense challenges of reinventing the food industry. Peddling conspiracy theories represents failures by officials of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), whose primary goal is to protect our health. These two examples represent just two of the broken promises made by the current HHS leadership during their confirmation hearings (45). And, despite promising oversight, representatives on Capitol Hill have shirked their responsibility and have allowed the country to continue along misguided paths that even they recognized as irresponsible (4)

Organizers told five of those researchers, including several who were scheduled to present this weekend, that they could no longer participate in the conference.
One of those experts was Dr. Steven Kahn, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington who also serves as the editor in chief of the association's flagship journal, Diabetes Care. Dr. Kahn was a co-author of the editorial and had been distributing copies.
~ New York Times

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· Jun 10

The Council is even considering reducing the Mayor’s salary by $20k, AFTER an election. Isn’t that illegal? If not, it sure should be - especially as some decide to give themselves a raise. They ended up discussing budget items ad nauseam and at 8pm, I had to leave. God, local elections MATTER!!

$Dear Councilmember Nicholl and Members of the Sandy City Council, As a 20-year constituent in District 3, I am writing to strongly oppose any proposal to withdraw Sandy City from the Central Wasatch Commission (CWC). Cutting our $37,500 membership to save a fraction of a percent of our budget is a short-sighted move that directly risks our clean air, jeopardizes our pristine drinking water, and threatens the local outdoor tourism economy. Our mountains face unprecedented pressure. Today, skiers wait for hours in paralyzing gridlock that spills directly into Sandy's neighborhoods. Meanwhile, the state's proposed gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon carries astronomical taxpayer costs while primarily benefiting private resorts rather than the everyday residents of Sandy. This massive construction project also threatens the delicate biodiversity and native wildlife—including moose and bighorn sheep that call our canyons home. Crucially, canyon challenges do not stop at the mountain boundaries; traffic, pollution, and watershed degradation spill directly into Sandy city limits. According to Sandy City's own polling data from January 2022, 77% of Sandy residents polled do not support the gondola. Sandy City's coordination with the Central Wasatch Commission gives Sandy City residents a much greater voice on this issue alone than they would have if Sandy drops its membership. While massive state agencies like UDOT focus purely on moving vehicles, the CWC provides an agile, coordinated alternative that protects our local community in ways traditional bureaucracy • Protecting Neighborhoods from Traffic Spillovers: The CWC gives Sandy the political platform to force giant state agencies to look at the big picture ensuring that canyon tolling or gondola staging do not turn Sandy's residential streets into gridlocked, high-emission parking lots. • Securing Our Municipal Water Supply: A vast portion of our drinking water comes from the Little Cottonwood watershed. The CWC's$

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· Jun 6

June 6, 1945 my in-laws were married at Annapolis. Art was Class of ‘46 on accelerated schedule to graduate in ‘45 due to WW2. Married in uncertain times but got lucky - war ended that summer. Spoke w Jane today abt costs of war, esp Trump’s war w Iran. Service members deserve quality leadership!

Annapolis, MD - Naval Academy Chapel in 1945 with bride and groom walking under traditional archway of crossed swords held by fellow Naval Academy officers

Beautiful bride and handsome Naval officer cutting wedding cake. Married 72 years when Art died in 2018. Jane is now 103, soon to be 104.

Jane pinning Art’s epaulette after this graduation from Naval Academy on June 5, 1945. He was scheduled to serve in the South Pacific later that month.

New York Times clipping of the 1945 Naval Academy graduation where Sec of Navy Forrestal (later first Sec of DEFENSE) states “we must constantly remind ourselves that there is no hope of peace unless the nations desiring a world built on law, not upon force, are willing to fight for that choice. Peace without the power to enforce it must remain an empty dream.”

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· Jun 6

Great reporting by Ben Winslow. Josh Zimmerman, Water Conservation Coordinator for Utah DNR, spoke to our Osher class on Thursday. Want to save the Great Salt Lake? It starts with us. People can do their part - the state needs to do its part, too. Don’t let politicians green light data centers

2017 Pat Bagley cartoon depicting the competing interests fighting over a small bottle of water. Not seated: future generations

Shows scale of change of snow water equivalent in western US over the years from 2002, 2015, and 2026

Why was 2026 such a low snow winter? Average March temperature records were
broken by wide margins in Utah with St. George exceeding the previous record by
4°F, Provo by
5°F, Kanab by 6°F,
Escalante by 9°F and Alta by 10°F

Record breaking snow drought during 2026 were the Bighorn, Madison , Snake and Yellowstone River Basins in Northwestern Wyoming.

(Climate change is warming our planet. The data is clear.)

Acre feet water diversion in Utah River Basin. (Average of 1989 - 2018). The BLUE areas are % of water used by municipalities and industries, green areas are agricultural.
Check out Jordan River Basin — the usage is directed to the population so therefore WE can and must do something to conserve our own water usage.

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· May 22

UT Supreme Ct justices & 3rd District Judge Gibson upheld Utah Constitution & ruled people’s vote overrode GOP Legislature’s unlawful gerrymandering. Made GOP so 😡 that judges were then targeted w death threats! Cox seeking unethical judges ballotpedia.org/Article_VI,_... bsky.app/profile/jkin...

Article VI, Utah
Constitution
Utah Constitution
Preamble
Articles
1 • • • • •V •V • VI • X • X • XI • X|I • XIII
• XIV • XV • XVI • XVII • XVIII • XX • XXII • XXIII •
XXIV
Article VI of the Utah Constitution is entitled
Legislative Department and consists of 32 sections.
Section
Text of Section 1:
Power vested in Senate, House, and People

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· May 22

UT Supreme Court didn’t “create” CD1 - rather it affirmed the right of Utahns to petition the govt thru the initiative process that passed #Prop4. Also upheld Judge Dianna Gibson’s well-reasoned decision re neutral map drawing criteria utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/12/08/u... bsky.app/profile/jkin...

July 11, 2024
First Major Legal Victory
The Utah Supreme Court rules unanimously that voter-approved initiatives are protected under Utah's constitution, affirming
Utahns have the right to reform their government. The case is sent back to district court for further proceedings

October 2024
Second Legal Win:
Amendment D Struck Down
Amendment D, which would have changed the Utah Constitution to let the legislature repeal initiatives by simple majority vote, is removed from the ballot by the courts.
Judges rule that the language was misleading and failed to follow proper notice, marking another major victory for Utah voters and citizen power.
ROTECT YOUR RIGHTS

utahnewsdispatch.com
In her 11-page decision, 3rd District Judge Dianna Gibson wrote she rejected the Utah Legislature's preferred map C because it not only failed to adhere to neutral map-drawing criteria under Proposition 4 (a 2018 voter-approved ballot initiative that created an independent redistricting process) to the greatest extent practicable, but also because it was drawn with political data - which is also a violation of Proposition 4.
In redistricting fight, Utah Republican lawmakers will appeal to Utah Supreme Court

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· May 19

Great job, Swoop(s)!! Thanks for the memories, this year as well as over the decades of our U of Utah affiliation! @utah.edu These girls, whose mother is a refugee from Somalia, were so tickled to meet Swoop at the #UtahBaseball game this past Saturday… you showed them much kindness and respect.

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· May 15

Every once in awhile… I just need a good “doggie smile” break! Here’s our Rosie on the right with a friend’s dog, Rosie’s young buddy Ollie. (Fun thread below, @maureenhenry.bsky.social)

On left, a dark brown doodle. On right, a light brown terrier mix. Both dogs smiling.

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· May 13

Gotta include Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman, building over 100 #data centers globally, w vast majority—more than 30 massive multi-facility campuses—located in US. His Ruby pipeline will ostensibly power LARGEST SO FAR #BoxElder #Utah Stratos Project w off-grid, behind-the-meter energy strategy

Olga Nesterova
@onestpress.onestnetwork....
• Who joins Trump on his trip to Beijing?
Elon Musk - CEO, Tesla/SpaceX
Tim Cook - CEO, Apple
Larry Fink - CEO, BlackRock Stephen Schwarzman - CEO,
Blackstone
Kelly Ortberg - CEO, Boeing Jane Fraser - CEO, Citigroup
David Solomon - CEO, Goldman Sachs Dina Powell McCormick - President & VC, Meta
8:07 AM • May 12, 2026

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· May 11

Entire data center proj is ONLY POSSIBLE because of Utah Legislature passage of SB132, introduced by UT Sen Scott D Sandall (Box Elder Co) senate.utah.gov/sen/ Tallgrass Energy ➡️ Blackstone ➡️ Keystone XL pestakeholder.org/news/private... www.sltrib.com/news/2026/04... bsky.app/profile/jkin...

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· May 9

In Tucson tonight. Enough to ruin my appetite. What nefarious thing is he up to next? Celebrity culture as medicine has sickened our country and quacks are treated like rock stars.

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· May 7

[The documents have drawn attention b/c of Dolan’s plan to pay some abusers to leave the priesthood & the transfer of nearly $57 million for cemetery care into a trust as the archdiocese prepared to file for bankruptcy] Dolan is certainly no hero in the eyes of many www.mprnews.org/story/2013/0...

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· May 4

Thanks for keeping us posted. This travesty, this power grab from the people of Utah, is despicable. Thanks to Alliance for A Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social for highlighting this clip of O’Leary crediting Utah politicians for selling out the state and all its people bsky.app/profile/jkin...

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· May 4

Protestant: Club Utah Resort Group LLC c/o McKay Edwards The State of Utah is investing many millions of dollars, perhaps in excess of a billion dollars, in a last ditch attempt to save the Great Salt Lake. The stakes for life in Utah if the Great Salt Lake is not saved are existential EXISTENTIAL

Protestant against data center

The State of Utah is investing many millions of dollars, perhaps in excess of a billion dollars, in a last ditch attempt to save the Great Salt Lake. The stakes for life in Utah if the Great Salt Lake is not saved are existential. The last place on earth a
"Hyper-scaled" data center - reputed to be the "world's largest", should be built, is in a location where the existing water resources are tiny, dwindling and threatened. This is the height of folly. Every water right directly impacting the Great Salt Lake should be protected until and unless all risks associated with proposed changes are understood. The risks posed by this change are far from
We are in the critical stages of the worst drought on record in Utah. This is no time to be taking risks with what little precious water we currently have. These are not normal times.
As the owner of three 1898 seniority Utah water rights I formally request a hearing.

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· May 4

Read the entire Protest Letter submitted by Friends of Great Salt Lake EVERYTHING that has been accomplished and negotiated over the last few years to #SaveGSL is jeopardized by the O’Leary data center project in Box Elder County. SB132 was essential PDF here: waterrights.utah.gov/docImport/06...

Explanation by Friends of Great Salt Lake of how the data center is detrimental to the Public. A hearing is requested!

The Proposed Use Will Be Detrimental to the Public Welfare.
The importance of Great Salt Lake to the public welfare is evident

Relief Requested
For the reasons stated above, FRIENDS requests that the State Engineer reject the application associated with Water Right # 13-4148 because it fails to meet many of the requirements of Utah Code Ann. § 73-3-8(1).
Respectfully submitted April 30, 2026.
/s/ Rob Dubuc
Rob Dubuc
General Counsel, FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· May 4

It was Patrick Belmont who alerted me to the ability to protest this HUMONGOUS data project, pointing me to the Grow the Flow article above. If you don’t quite know what to say, here’s Patrick’s protest. Patrick Belmont is a water scientist and professor at USU & CANDIDATE www.belmont4utah.org

Protestant: Patrick Belmont
210 West Center St
Logan, Utah 84321
RE: Protest of Change Application a54385 (13-4148)
RECEIVED
MAY 02 2026
WATER RIGHTS
ONLINE
I submit this protest on the basis that the proposed appropriation may (1) impair existing rights, (2) interfere with the more beneficial use of water, and (3) be detrimental to the public welfare.
1. Detriment to the public welfare: basin-scale impacts affecting Great Salt Lake recovery
Application 13-4148 proposes a new industrial groundwater withdrawal within a hydrologic region that contributes to terminal Great Basin systems connected to the Great Salt Lake. At present, the State of Utah is investing substantial resources to stabilize and restore lake levels through conservation programs and policy initiatives.
Additional long-term consumptive withdrawals within this basin risk reducing groundwater contributions that support regional hydrologic balance and may offset statewide efforts to increase inflows to the Great Salt Lake. Continued lake decline is associated
* increased exposure to dust emissions from the dry lake bed, affecting public health and transportation corridors
* degradation of habitat supporting migratory bird populations of hemispheric importance
* risks to lake-dependent industries including brine shrimp harvesting and mineral extraction
* increased likelihood of federal Endangered Species Act listings affecting regional water management
Because these impacts extend beyond the immediate project footprint and affect statewide environmental and economic interests, approval of this application would be detrimental to the public welfare.
2. Risk of aquifer degradation due to thermal loading from industrial cooling
A data center on the enormous scale proposed will generate a tremendous amount of waste heat. If groundwater is used for cooling and subsequently reinjected, elevated return temperatures may alter- aquifer conditions.
Thermal loading of aquifers is

robust analysis demonstrating that these impacts can be avoided and provide commitments to ensure, unequivocally, that they will
be.
4. Basin-scale groundwater sustainability and cumulative impacts
Application 13-4148 represents a new long-term industrial groundwater commitment in a region already experiencing hydrologic stress associated with declining Great Salt Lake levels.
Even where individual withdrawals appear modest relative to basin totals, cumulative impacts from multiple industrial appropriations can materially reduce groundwater availability and terminal basin inflows. The proximity of this proposed project is especially concerning regarding impacts to the Great Salt Lake. Approval of this application may establish precedent for additional large-scale withdrawals whose combined impacts could be significant.
For this reason, basin-scale cumulative effects should be comprehensively evaluated prior to approval.
5. Conflict with statewide drought-resilience and lake-recovery policy objectives
Utah has adopted multiple conservation and planning measures intended to stabilize inflows to the Great Salt Lake. Approval of new long-term industrial groundwater withdrawals within hydrologically connected basins risks undermining those efforts and reducing flexibility needed for future drought response and water-management planning.
6. Potential interference with more beneficial uses of water
Groundwater resources within the proposed project area support regionally significant ecological, economic, and public-health functions associated with terminal basin systems and the Great Salt Lake. Approving additional industrial consumptive demand without clear demonstration by of neutrality to basin inflows may interfere with these higher-value regional uses.
7. Statement regarding beneficial use
While industrial activity can qualify as a beneficial use under Utah water law, the scale of groundwater demand proposed in Application 13-4148 raises concern about whether this app…

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· Apr 19

Please see this entire thread by @eliothiggins.bsky.social regarding Palantir Our democracy depends upon all of us exercising all of the tools at our disposal. Voting is not enough. Join & support orgs that fight disinformation. Consider @lwvus.bsky.social Unite&Rise bsky.app/profile/elio...

What is Unite and Rise 8.5?

Unite & Rise 8.5 aims to build a movement of 8.5 million individuals to unite and rise up against the anti-democratic actions of this administration. Launching in May 2025 and running until the 2026 midterm elections, this initiative is part of our Women Defend Democracy campaign.

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· Apr 19

[Democracy is not sustained by ballots or constitutions alone. It survives when citizens can see truth being tested, their voices being heard, and power being constrained.. The VDA Framework offers a language for diagnosis. The Arc Framework maps the pathways of design] bsky.app/profile/elio...

CONCLUSION
THE CASE FOR
DEMOCRATIC REPAIR
This report has argued that democracy rests on three functional minimums: the ability to
know what is true, to see that voices matter, and to hold power to account. When verification,
deliberation, and accountability are performed substantially, democracy earns legitimacy even
under strain. When they are hollowed out, politics becomes performance. When they are
simulated, democracy is inverted into its own parody.
The risk we face is not only decline, but collapse. Crises expose hollowness and accelerate
disorder. Citizens who see institutions go through the motions without consequence either
disengage entirely or turn to counterpublics that offer coherence without truth. In an information
environment where anyone can publish via social media, with minimal verification, this makes
it easier than ever before for disordered counterpublics to be influenced - and to influence
others. They flourish by default in a world of easy dissemination and algorithmically targeted
consumption, producing simulations of democratic practice that feel authentic while corroding
shared standards of evidence and accountability.
But collapse is not inevitable. The same framework that makes democratic breakdown visible
also points to renewal. The VDA framework and Arc of Democracy allows us to distinguish
between functional, hollow, and disordered spaces, and between substantial, performative,
and simulated democratic practices. It helps us see where resilience remains and where repair
is most urgent. The Arc Framework provides the design: eight interconnected tracks of action
that align efforts across education, empowerment, investigation, discourse, institutions, and
infrastructure.
Democracy is not sustained by ballots or constitutions alone. It survives when citizens can
see truth being tested, their voices being heard, and power being constrained. These are the
visible democratic practices that generate legitimacy. Without them, democracy drift…

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· Apr 10

I’ve always thought it would have to come down to this, to force removal. We have to step up and really support those who are risking their jobs to do this. Protests are practice - ways to inform and organize. Look how many organizations helped with the #NoKings rally in Salt Lake City! Support!

NO THRONES. NO CROWNS.
NO KINGS - SALT LAKE CITY
SATURDAY, MARCH 28
2:00 - RALLY
WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK
(451S STATE)
2:30 -MARCH STARTS 3:30 - RALLY
UTAH STATE CAPITOL
(351 N STATE ST)
REJECTING KINGS
SINCE
1776

•SALT LAKE INDIVISIBLE
•GREEN WAVE UTAH
•Utah State Progressive Caucus
•SALT LAKE Democratic Socialists of Utah
• Party for Socialism and Liberation
•League of Women Voters
Salt Lake
•Utah Oversees Action
•WOMEN'S DEMOCRATIC CLUB
oF UTAH
•Mormons With Hope
•Salt Lake County Democratic Women’s Caucus
•Salt Lake Community Sail Fund
•ACLU Utah
•U of Utah MECHA

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· Mar 31

Absolute pleasure to listen to AZ Gov Katie Hobbs this evening at the Salt Lake Democratic Party fundraising event, Politisauce - what a life story & what grace under pressure! So many accomplishments! Can’t believe she’ll most likely be running against J6-er & 2020 election denier Andy Biggs! 🆘 🗳️

Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· Mar 30

This is INSANE - & somehow slipped through the cracks of every UT legislative session “update” I attended! A sneak attack for #ChristianNationalism in UT schools Who REALLY wrote this bill? “Developing that curriculum will cost taxpayers roughly $12 million, according to the bill’s fiscal note.”

Salt Lake Tribune

Bill may be first of its kind, one expert says
The curriculum change may be the first of its kind, said Patrick Elliott, legal director for the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
The organization advocates for the separation of church and state.
"I don't know that other states have done this through a state statute and in this very detailed manner," Elliott said.
States like Oklahoma have passed legislation allowing students to partake in optional Bible-based courses. And district-level programs, such as in Hamilton County School District in Tennessee, have long offered elective courses examining the Rible through an academic lens.

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"It's very clear that the bill was carefully drafted by people who are aware of the Supreme Court precedents in this area," Rosky said. "[It's] written to maximize the amount of teaching about religion, while not requiring or permitting the teaching of religion."
In practice, though, the bill could infringe on students' and teachers' constitutional
rights, he said.

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'What the founders said you should not support'
Christian nationalism has become increasingly popular in GOP-led states, according to recent findings from the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute, Axios reported in February. The ideology asserts the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation and should be governed
with Christian values.
Eric Hinderaker, a distinguished professor of history at The U., said he views HB312 as an attempt by Utah lawmakers to prop up that ideology.
"There's a lot of misunderstanding about the place of religion in public life in the era of the American Revolution," Hinderaker said. "These people were coming out of a context where state-supported religion was the norm. Where, in other words, governments and religions were closely integrated with each other. They saw that as a huge problem."

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He argued that while documents like the Constitution and Declaration of Independence contain religious concepts, they aren't inherently biblical.
"It is misleading to suggest that the Bible is an especially important text in influencing
American constitutional history,"
Hinderaker said, adding that the Founding Fathers intentionally chose not to make any references to the Bible.
Bills like HB312 were what our Founding Fathers were hoping to avoid in writing the First Amendment, Hinderaker argued.
"I think increasingly the fear is being propagated in our society that Christianity is collapsing," he said. "And so this is an attempt by lawmakers to use the power of the state to prop it up. That is exactly what a religious establishment is. And that is exactly what the founders said you should not support."
- Tribune staff writer Robert Gehrke contributed to this report.
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Janet Kinneberg@jkinneberg· Mar 29

As true 4/13/25 as it is today: Sarah Beck at Fight Oligarchy tour “This will be a sustained campaign.. support each other.. DO NOT LOSE HOPE.. Hope is contagious! Your actions inspire others. Do not allow this moment to break your heart but let it break your heart open so you have capacity to help