Tips and Trends

Tips

• Air Quality tips for: Summer and Winter
• What Do You Know? (test your Air Quality knowledge)
• A few more facts about Air Quality (for Reporters and other curious people)
• Air Quality Trends along the Wasatch Front (from the Utah Division of Air Quality - see below for Air Quality trends overview)

(Note: Many of the links below require the Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

= External Link | = PDF file

Trends

The following is referenced from the 2007 DEQ Report on the Environment

Introduction

Utah's air quality continues to be a growing concern. Our mountain-and-valley topography, diverse economy, and a vastly growing population create some air quality challenges for the state. Despite these challenges, Utah's air continues to improve. Stricter regulations for motor vehicles and industry, as well as other emission reduction programs, have helped reduce smog and improved visibility. As noted in the 2006 report on the environment , in the early 1980s, Utah struggled to meet the health standards for four of the six criteria pollutants identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). During 2006, all Utah counties attained current federal air quality standards.

The 2007 air quality season proved to be more challenging. In 2007, Utah's population grew to nearly 2.7 million - a record 3.2 percent increase over the previous year. Air quality concerns have prompted Governor Jon Huntsman to address the issue as one of his top priorities during the second half of his administration.

The growing concern is partly due to the fact that scientific evidence about the health effects of air pollutants have prompted the EPA to tighten the standards for ozone and very fine particles known as PM_2.5. On December 18, 2006, the allowable daily average of fine particles standard went into effect, reducing the standard from 65 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) to 35 ug/m3. Since the standard has been in place, Utah has achieved a mere 20 percent compliance.

Anticipated this spring of 2008 is a change to the 8-hour ozone standard. If that standard changes, it is anticipated that Utah counties won't be able to meet those tougher new health standards either. Please click here for more information on the new standard.