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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- It's been a record winter for bad air.
The Division of Air Quality's Winter Air Quality Alert program set a record this season for the number of bad air quality days.
Salt Lake and Davis counties had a record 28 days where the program issued a red alert, asking residents to limit their driving and not use wood-burning stoves or fireplaces.
Utah and Weber counties also set records with 25 and 17 red days respectively.
The division says tougher federal air health standards for small particulate pollution prompted more of the "red" days.
Salt Lake and Davis counties were under a "red" alert for 16 days in January alone.
The red, yellow and green alert system is also used in summer and now it will be available year round.
The division says it hopes that the year round program will emphasize vehicle pollution.
www.airquality.utah.gov
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
