The State of Utah is home to towering mountain ranges, resource-rich basins, sprawling farmland, and vast deserts. These diverse environments are inhabited by equally diverse people, all of whom are affected by the air quality in our state. Understanding the factors that influence the quality of our air is imperative to mitigating the harmful effects of poor air quality on public health. The physical environment which includes atmospheric chemistry, meteorology, and topography, combines with by-products of modern technology and industry such as emissions from vehicles and buildings, to create air pollution problems that are unique to Utah. Research conducted by the Division of Air Quality and its community partners informs decisions made by the Utah State Legislature to improve our air quality.
The TRAX air quality project continues to measure PM2.5 and ozone from TRAX light rail trains, and will add measurements to the Blue line. All data is publicly available and posted in near real-time on the MesoWest website.
This study will investigate the existing emission inventory of ammonia (NH3) sources and compare modeled NH3 concentrations to those observed during recent field studies in order to identify and correct missing NH3 sources. In addition to improving the inventory, this study will add new NH3 emission pathways to the photochemical model.
The University of Utah will make measurements of vertical wind and aerosol profiles, as well as ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations at the mouth of Red Butte Canyon in order to better understand air exchange in the Salt Lake Valley during wintertime PM2.5 events.
This study will deploy a number of ozone sensors at different distances up Red Butte Canyon to better understand natural gradients in ozone and how phenomena like large thunderstorms and valley drainage flows contribute to ozone concentrations in the Salt Lake Valley.
Wood burning contributes to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution in the Wasatch Front, and reducing the use of wood burning during pollution episodes has been the focus of many policy decisions. This study looks at patterns of temperature, heat deficit, and day of the week along with markers of woodsmoke and mandatory no-burn days, to try and understand if public awareness and policy efforts have been effective in reducing wood burning during pollution events.
Final 2014 O&G Emissions Table 2014 Oil and Gas Emission Inventory Presentation Pneumatic Controller Emission Factor Modification Ponds/Landfarms/Landfills Gap Filling WRAP Additional Equipment Gap Filling For almost a decade the 2006 Western Regional Air Partnership (WRAP) Phase III oil and gas emissions inventories were relied on for the Uinta Basin (Basin), the main oil and …
Read MoreUtah State University’s Bingham Research Center presents the results of simultaneous aerial and ground-based optical gas imaging surveys conducted in winter and spring 2018.
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The ULend program is a collaborative approach for fixing compliance issues before they become a regulatory problem. The program focuses on small oil and gas producers who might not be able to afford the kind of expensive equipment that could help them identify and repair leaks early.
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This study will provide key meteorological support for the chemistry observations taken during the upcoming 2018--2019 winter season that are focused on the ammonia transport and air mass exchange between the Salt Lake and Utah Valleys.
The objective of this study is to define the spatio-temporal behavior of atmospheric ammonia (NH3) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) along the Wasatch Front across both summer and winter seasons. This objective will be accomplished through three tasks developed in consultation with UDAQ and the U.S. EPA. These tasks include 1) networked NH3 and HCl observations, 2) particulate chloride spatial distributions, and 3) mobile real-time NH3 assessments.
The University of Utah Department of Chemical Engineering will collaborate with UDAQ to estimate the contributions of wood burning to wintertime PM2.5 levels using aethalometer data from four locations and from mobile aethalometer measurements. The goal of this study is to identify and understand levels of wood burning and compliance with wood-burning restrictions during the winter of 2018/2019.
The Utah Division of Air Quality (UDAQ) is leading a new effort to improve estimates of the speciation of organic compound emissions from Uinta Basin oil and gas wells. Utah State University (USU) will work with UDAQ to collect and analyze pressurized gas and liquid samples from oil and gas well separators, as well as conduct data processing and analysis.
A source apportionment campaign, with an emphasis on determining the source of dichloromethane in Bountiful City, will be conducted between December 2018 and January 2019. Supporting measurements of PM2.5 concentration and composition will be provided as part of this effort.
To better understand the contribution of automobiles to Utah ammonia emissions, tailpipe ammonia (NH3) measurements will be taken in laboratory and on-road settings for an array of diesel and gasoline vehicles representative of Utah’s vehicle fleet.
Principal Investigators: Whitney Oswald, Utah Division of Air Quality Patrick Barickman, Utah Division of Air Quality Seth Lyman, Utah State University Marc Mansfield, Utah State University Jordan Mathis (jmathis@tricountyhealth.com), Tri-County Health The Utah Legislature’s 2016 budget included a $150,000 appropriation for the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to create a pilot program to screen …
Read MorePrincipal Investigators: Terry Ring, University of Utah John Wilkey, University of Utah DAQ Contact: Whitney Oswald Oil and gas production appears to be the major source of ozone precursors in the Uinta Basin. The Division of Air quality seeks to maintain the regulatory ozone limits within the basin without impeding continued development. As such, the …
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