New inland port report says traffic and warehouses are coming to northwest Salt Lake City regardless — but argues the development could be greener under state leadership.

Opponents of a massive distribution hub planned for Salt Lake City’s northwest side have long raised concerns about the future development’s possible impacts on the environment, traffic and air quality.

But the organization tasked with leading public outreach on the project argued Wednesday that the area will develop with or without the direction of the Inland Port Authority Board — and that it’s possible it could actually be more sustainable under state control.

“The authority may have the right and power to do things with respect to air quality that is normally preempted by the federal government and the state and the counties can’t do,” Robert Grow, CEO of Envision Utah, told the board at its monthly meeting.