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NEWS RELEASE
October 31, 2006
Contacts:
Rick Sprott, (801) 536-0072
Director of Air Quality
Bob Dalley, (801) 887-0762
Manager of Air Monitoring Center
Donna Kemp Spangler, (801) 536-4484
Public Information Officer, DEQ
More Participation Needed in order to meet New Federal Air Rules
(Salt Lake City, Utah) – Utahns will have to face the harsh reality that keeping the air clean this winter will be tougher.
Faced with new federal air-pollution regulations on microscopic particles that go into effect Dec. 18, the Division of Air Quality (DAQ) is focusing more attention on managing air pollution this winter. Wednesday, Nov. 1, marks the beginning of “Red Light-Green Light” Choose Clean Air’s winter program aimed at curtailing air pollution caused primarily by vehicle emissions, wood-burning stoves and fireplaces.
The program, now in its 14th season, keeps Utahns apprised of poor air quality conditions that require everyone to limit their driving and wood burning. Those days are when an inversion is approaching, which occurs when cold air traps the pollution beneath a layer of warm air.
“This program has been absolutely crucial for Utah to meet air quality standards in the winter,” said Rick Sprott, director of the Division of Air Quality. “It’s even more imperative now with the tougher federal requirements.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) imposed new rules that lower the allowable daily average of fine particles known as PM2.5, from 65 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) to 35. Utah counties met the old standard. However, the new standard will be much more difficult for counties along the Wasatch Front, including Cache, Summit, Juab and Tooele counties, based on air-pollution data collected by the Air Monitoring Center over the past three years.
“If everyone does their part to heed the wood-burning warnings and use mass transit whenever possible, it will make a significant difference in our air quality,” said Bob Dalley, manager of the Air Monitoring Center.
The program works like this. People can sign up to receive alerts on the Department of Environmental Quality’s Choose Clean Air Web site www.cleanair.utah.gov. On days when pollution levels are below the new health standard of 35 ug/m3 a “Green” light lets people know burning wood is allowed. When pollution builds, a “Yellow” light signals for voluntary no wood-burning and efforts to curb driving. When pollution levels exceed the standard, a “Red” mandatory no-burning is issued. Fines, ranging from $25 to $300, may be imposed on repeat offenders.
Burn conditions are announced daily in newspapers, and on television and radio. Updates are available from the Air Pollution Index Hotline at 801-975-4009 (Salt Lake and Davis counties) and 800-228-5434 (all other counties).
These new EPA regulations are aimed at helping make all Utahns breathe easier. Winter air pollution can pose serious health problems when fine particles become lodged in lung tissue, decreasing lung function, increasing susceptibility to respiratory infections and aggravating breathing problems like asthma and chronic bronchitis. Children and older adults and those with existing heart and lung conditions are most sensitive to particulate air pollution.
“This is a serious public health problem and pollution levels in Utah can cause these health problems,” said Sprott.
For more information on ways to keep air pollution levels healthy, visit the Choose Clean Air Web site www.cleanair.utah.gov
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