Rio Tinto's response
[W]e…know that Cornerstone presents some environmental challenges…We’re committed to reducing these environmental impacts as much as possible…Kennecott is proposing to convert the majority of the onsite, coal-fired power plant to a combined-cycle natural gas operation…dramatically reducing emissions…According to the most recent UDAQ [Utah Division of Air Quality] compiled Statewide Emissions Inventory, 2008, the decrease in PM10 and Precursor emissions proposed at the power plant is equivalent to approximately 12% of the On-Road Mobile emissions in Salt Lake and Utah counties combined…Additionally, the monitors closest to Kennecott’s operations (Herriman and Magna) show the best annual PM2.5 averages in the valley…[O]ur impacts in the major metropolitan areas are expected to be less than in the areas closest to our operations (where they are demonstrably already low).