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Utah passes harsh penalties for protesting at oil pipeline sites

The protests at Standing Rock over the Dakota Access pipeline became a cultural touchstone for the fight for indigenous rights and environmental justice as hundreds of tribes from across the country came together in solidarity in 2016 and 2017.

Since then, a growing number of states have passed laws creating stiffer penalties for protesting at what’s called critical infrastructure sites — places like oil and gas facilities, railroads and power plants.

Utah, our neighbor to the north, just became the 19th state to pass such a law. The Show spoke more about it with Naveena Sadasivam, senior staff writer for environmental news nonprofit Grist.

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Lauren Gilger, host of KJZZ's The Show, is an award-winning journalist whose work has impacted communities large and small, exposing injustices and giving a voice to the voiceless and marginalized.