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SALT LAKE CITY — There may still be gobs of snow in the mountains, but that won't stop the summertime pollution problem of ozone from returning to the Wasatch Front.
As the valley floors begin to finally heat up, the Utah Division of Air Quality will begin monitoring for the pollutant, which occurs as a chemical reaction caused when vehicle emissions and industrial sources combine with sunlight. The result is summer smog, which can cause respiratory problems.
“Summer is a great time to be outdoors,” said Bryce Bird, state division director. “Smoggy conditions, however, can make it unpleasant and even unhealthy at times. It’s important for people to check air quality in the summer to protect their health and also to make choices to prevent the pollution from getting worse.”
People can visit www.airquality.utah.gov and click on “forecast” to find a color-coded three-day forecast for Salt Lake, Davis, Cache, Weber, Utah, Box Elder, Tooele and Washington counties. “Green” means air quality is good and people are encouraged to make clean air choices to help keep air pollution levels low. “Yellow” means the pollution is building and people are encouraged to take proactive steps by voluntarily carpooling, consolidating vehicle trips, and avoiding idling or mowing the lawn in the middle of the day.
“Red” means pollution levels are critically high, and residents should avoid using gasoline and diesel-powered engines.
The return to monitoring for summertime ozone comes even as the division hosted a pair of meetings Wednesday to explain what the agency is doing to meet federal air quality standards for PM 2.5.
- Date: Thursday, June 2
Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Location: John A. Widtsoe Hall Building at Utah State University, Room 007
Another meeting is set for Thursday in Cache County, where wintertime air quality suffers and has propelled the state to work cooperatively with Idaho on a joint pollution-reduction plan. That meeting is at Utah State University from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. in the John A. Widtsoe Hall Building, Room 007.
The meetings are a chance for the division to explain the extent of Utah's PM 2.5 problem, what emissions inventories will be done and how the agency will model for tracking the fine particulate.
Utah exceeds federal air quality standards for that type of pollution during spurts of inversions in the winter months when emissions get trapped along valley floors because of a high pressure zone that has settled over the state.
The meetings are the first phase of a five-year State Implementation Plan process, mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency because several Utah counties fail to meet federal standards.
“We are working hard to develop strategies that will bring PM 2.5 levels down and protect the health of Utahns living within the three non-attainment areas including the combined northern Wasatch Front counties, Utah and Cache counties,” Bird said.
In addition to a new air quality model, the division is implementing a new public participation process, scheduling 24 meetings throughout the rest of the year. The division wants those interested in providing public comment and helping develop PM 2.5 reduction strategies to provide input. Information about the meetings, process and how to be involved can be found at www.deq.utah.gov/Issues/hottopics/pm25.htm.
Email:aodonoghue@ksl.com
