This website's content is fully accessible to all browsers, however it will look much better and your experience will be much more enjoyable if you upgrade your browser to one that is standards-compliant.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2003
Contacts:
Cheryl Heying, Planning Manager, Division of Air Quality, (801) 536-4015
Rick Sprott, Director, Division of Air Quality, (801) 536-4000
(Salt Lake City, Utah) - The Department of Environmental Quality's "Red Light - Green Light" program, which curtails wood burning along the Wasatch Front during winter inversions, starts its 11th season Saturday, Nov. 1, 2003, and continues until March 1, 2004.
The Bear River Health Department also has its own wood-burning program for Cache County. It was implemented in January 2003 as a proactive measure to reduce air pollution in Cache County and protect the health of residents. The Bear River Health Department's program for Cache County is similar to the one in effect along the Wasatch Front.
Wood-burning conditions are identified as "RED, YELLOW, GREEN." The system, used to notify citizens when they can burn, is simple: A red light indicates burning is prohibited, yellow means a voluntary no burn, and green means burning is allowed. Wood- and coal-burning fireplaces and stoves, when used, should be operated properly to reduce pollution.
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. More information on actions residents can take to reduce pollution is available on the "Clean Air Utah" web site at www.cleanair.utah.gov.
Air Quality Division Director Rick Sprott urges citizens to be as committed to reducing pollution this winter as they were this summer "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," he said.
"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.
The program reduces particulate air pollution (PM10 and PM2.5) and carbon monoxide in Davis, Salt Lake, Utah and Weber counties. PM10 are particles of any kind that are 10 microns or less in diameter. They are 1/10 of a diameter of human hair. PM2.5 are particles smaller than PM10.
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 unhealthy levels.
Fines can be levied against individuals who use a wood-burning fireplace or stove during a red-burn period. A first-time offender is charged up to $25; a second-time offender pays $50 to $150; and a third-time offender faces fines from $150 to $299.
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 "Clean Air Utah" web site at www.cleanair.utah.gov.
Cache County residents may call (435) 792-6612 for recorded daily updates on the wood- burn conditions in their area. Residents may also report illegal burning on "red days" by calling (435) 792-6611.
You are here: Home >