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Tonya Papanikolas ReportingThe air quality in Salt Lake is a hot topic for environmentalists. In the past winter months of this year, Salt Lake had 16 days that exceeded air quality guidelines. It's an issue all across the valley. One group is focusing on the west side of the valley.
More than ten years ago the EPA published a report that claimed minority and low-income populations can have higher-than-average exposure to toxic pollutants. This year the EPA gave a group here in Utah a grant to research the topic locally.
Monica Robles, Rose Park Resident: “My son, he play outside, he start to sneeze, sneeze, sneeze."
Monica Robles is a mother of three who lives in Rose Park. Her oldest son, Jesus, suffers from bad allergies.
Jesus Miramontes: “Sometimes when I wake up, my eyes, I can't even open them."
For many people with allergies the air quality affects just how bad it can get.
Monica Robles: “Sometime when they clean the garage right there and I start to see some white things in the air, I'm start to have problems to breathe or my son come with really, really worse allergic."
Robles and others on the west side will now have a chance to share this kind of information with the Utah Society for Environmental Education. Starting next week, the group will ask minority and low-income residents how they feel about air quality and how they stay informed on the issue.
Jennifer Visitacion, Utah Society for Environmental Education: “It's not really to get involved in any advocacy or politics of air quality. It's more to look at how we can best make sure we're educating everyone that lives in this area."
The group will distribute two pages of survey questions.
Jennifer Visitacion: "I'm concerned about air quality in the Salt Lake valley; I'm concerned about the effect of pollution in my neighborhood."
The questionnaires will be translated into Spanish and Tongan. They'll be given out at community events. Robles thinks it's a great idea.
Monica Robles: “That way you know what's going on in the area and that way somebody can do something about it."
This group has chosen six neighborhoods and cities to participate in the survey. They range from Glendale to West Valley. The surveys will be distributed until September. Then the results will be analyzed.
