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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 22, 2002
Contacts:
Rick Sprott, Air Quality Division Director, (801) 536-4000
Grant Koford, Bear River Health Department Environmental Health Scientist, (435) 792-6575
(Salt Lake City, Utah) - The Department of Environmental Quality supports the Bear River Board of Health's proactive efforts to reduce air pollution in Cache Valley and protect the health of residents. The Health Board is proposing to implement a mandatory "Red Light, Green Light" wood-burn program for Cache Valley similar to the one in effect along the Wasatch Front.
The new proposal would prohibit the use of wood-burning stoves, fireplaces and other sources of unclean combustion on days when air pollution is on the rise. The Bear River Board of Health will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 5 p.m. at the Bear River Health Department, 655 E. 1300 North, Logan, to gather comments on the proposal.
"We are encouraged that the Bear River Board of Health has voluntarily taken action to protect the environment and the health of Cache Valley residents from the effects of air pollution," said Rick Sprott, Air Quality Division Director. "The Health Department has shown extraordinary leadership to address this concern as quickly and as proactively as possible."
The Bear River Health Department began a voluntary wood-burn program in 2001 to curb air pollution. For the past two years, Cache Valley has exceeded federal air quality standards for fine particulate matter known as PM 2.5. Particulate matter is dust or soot that results from burning. When inhaled, these fine particles can become lodged deep in lung tissue, causing breathing problems and aggravating respiratory diseases such as asthma.
During a prolonged wintertime inversion, PM 2.5 is even more of a concern. Pollution becomes trapped in the valleys and builds to concentrations that are particularly troublesome for the elderly, children and asthmatics. If pollution continues to build, the general public is at risk of experiencing breathing difficulties due to poor air quality.
"Clean air is vital to our quality of life and requires that residents proactively do what they can to keep the air they breathe as clean as possible," Sprott said.
For example, residents are asked to follow the wood-burn conditions in their area and to drive as little as possible during red and yellow days, because cars contribute significantly to air pollution. Carpooling and riding mass transit are excellent alternatives.
"We encourage people to choose clean-air activities that fit into their lifestyle, because their individual actions really do make a collective difference in keeping our air clean," Sprott said.
Residents in both Cache Valley and along the Wasatch Front are encouraged to visit the award-winning "Clean Air Utah" Website at www.cleanair.utah.gov for more information about current air quality conditions, pollutants, health impacts and actions they can take to reduce air pollution.
A unique feature of "Clean Air Utah" is a simple, online survey that allows people to select clean-air activities that fit into their lifestyle and to develop their own plan of action based on their choices.
Residents can also find out current air quality conditions by calling the Air Pollution Hotline at 975-4009 for Salt Lake and Davis counties and (800) 228-5434 elsewhere. In addition, pollution conditions are announced daily by newspapers, television and radio stations.
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