FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 31, 2000
Contacts:
Bob Dalley, Air Monitoring Center, (801) 887-0762
Rick Sprott, Division of Air Quality, (801) 536-4151
The Department of Environmental Quality's "Red Light – Green Light" program, which curtails wood burning along the Wasatch Front during winter inversions, starts its eighth season Wednesday, Nov. 1 and continues until March 1, 2001.
Wood-burning conditions are identified as "RED, YELLOW, GREEN." The system, used to notify citizens when they can burn, is simple: A red traffic light indicates burning is generally prohibited, yellow means a voluntary no burn and green means burning is allowed. However, stoves should be used properly to reduce pollution.
Wasatch Front residents will also be asked to drive as little as possible during red and yellow days because cars contribute significantly to the area's air pollution. Industries will be asked to minimize their release of air pollutants and to ensure that air pollution control equipment is functioning properly.
The program reduces particulate air pollution (PM10 and 2.5) and carbon monoxide.
During the winter season last year, there were no exceedences of the national health standard for PM10 or carbon monoxide along the Wasatch Front. Furthermore, there were no red or yellow days in Salt Lake, Davis, Utah or Weber counties.
It is possible to have a "red day" without exceeding the federal health-based standards for PM10, PM2.5 or carbon monoxide because red days are called as pollution begins to approach dangerous levels.
Fines can be levied against violators, with first-time offenders charged up to $25, second-time offenders pay $50 to $140 and third-time offenders face fines from $150 to $299.
Burning is allowed on red days if no smoke is visible from the chimney. That can be accomplished by using EPA-certified stoves, burning small hot fires and avoiding use of wet wood.
Pollution conditions are announced daily by newspapers, television and radio stations. Recorded updates can be obtained from the Air Pollution Index Hotline at 975-4009 for Salt Lake and Davis counties and (800) 228-5434 elsewhere, and on the Air Monitoring Center homepage on the Internet at http://www.deq.state.ut.us/eqamc/amc.htm.