Gov. Walker's Crusade

It is unlikely anyone would consider former Utah Governor Olene Walker to be a radical environmentalist. If anything, she generally took a practical approach to vital issues during her distinguished political career. And that gives all the more credence to her most recent outspoken concerns about air quality along the Wasatch Front.

For Governor Walker, the issue has become very personal.

She has been diagnosed with a disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. What causes the disease is unknown. It is incurable, and death typically occurs within a few years of diagnosis. What she has learned, though, is that air quality is a significant factor in controlling the disease.

For health reasons, Governor Walker has chosen to live away from the Wasatch Front. Her lungs can't handle the pollution that is generated mostly by heavy motor vehicle traffic, especially when those terrible inversions hit the valleys.

KSL, of course, joins all Utahns in hoping the best for Governor Walker. At the same time, her high profile condition underscores the seriousness of the air quality issue in Utah's most populous region. There is a reason Uncle Sam has imposed strict air quality standards on the area. All reasonable efforts to reduce pollution and improve air quality ought to be supported.