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.
Relevant Documentation Scope of Work (876 KB) Final Report (5 MB) 2014 Ozone Monitoring Along TRAX Lines (368 MB) Principal Investigators: John Horel, University of Utah Erik Crosman, University of Utah Susan Bush, University of Utah Randy Martin, Utah State University DAQ Contact: Chris Pennell (cpennell@utah.gov) DAQ (Division of Air Quality) monitoring found high levels of …
Read MoreRelevant Documentation Scope of Work (230 KB) Final Report (788 KB) Principal Investigator: Randy Martin, USU DAQ Contact: Nancy Daher (ndaher@utah.gov), Ph. D. Atmospheric chlorine is a strong oxidant and known to potentially initiate photochemistry via reactions with various common hydrocarbons. Kerry et al (2013) found that chlorine atoms significantly contribute to local Salt Lake …
Read MoreRelevant Documentation Scope of Work Final Report Principal Investigator: John Horel, University of Utah, Erik Crosman, University of Utah DAQ Contact: Chris Pennell (cpennell@utah.gov) Wintertime meteorological conditions in Utah are difficult to portray using conventional atmospheric-modeling approaches. To improve the accuracy of simulations of pollution along the Wasatch Front and Cache Valley, models need to …
Read MoreRelevant Documentation Final Report (5 MB) Principal Investigator: Dr. Erik Crosman, University of Utah, Christopher Foster (yurralacelle112@gmail.com), University of Utah DAQ Contact: Chris Pennell (cpennell@utah.gov) Following the completion of the Winter Modeling Improvements study funded by DAQ with the original legislative research funding, DAQ contracted with the same research group for a targeted modeling project. …
Read MoreRelevant Documentation Scope of Work Final Report Principal Investigator: Marc Mansfield, Utah State University Jaron Hansen, Brigham Young University DAQ Contact: Chris Pennell (cpennell@utah.gov) Wintertime ozone in the Uinta Basin is unique and requires improvements to the photochemical models used for winter conditions. Current chemical mechanisms within the modeling system assume a summertime temperature of …
Read MoreRelevant Documentation Scope of Work Final Report Presentation: CB6, Version 6 of the Carbon Bond Mechanism Principal Investigator: Greg Yarwood, RAMBOLL-ENVIRON Chris Emery, RAMBOLL-ENVIRON DAQ Contact: Chris Pennell (cpennell@utah.gov) Wintertime ozone is a serious air quality issue in the Uinta Basin. The situation is unique and requires improvements to the photochemical models used for winter …
Read MoreRelevant Documentation Scope of Work (7.2 KB) Final Report Principal Investigator: Randy Martin (USU), Joe Thomas (WSU) Reducing automobile emissions has been a central component of the state’s plans to improve air quality. Unfortunately, there is little literature or data that identify the benefits or consequences from changes to the way individuals and fleets start …
Read MoreRelevant Documentation 2014 Final Report Principal Investigator: Roman Kuprov, Utah Division of Air Quality The Division of Air Quality has been monitoring ambient concentrations of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) in the Salt Lake Valley for over a decade. Since trace amounts of toxic compounds have been linked to such adverse health effects as cancer, ribosomal …
Read MoreRelevant Documentation Scope of Work 2015 Special Toxics Study Final Report Principal Investigator: Roman Kuprov, Utah Division of Air Quality The first analysis of toxics data completed by the UDAQ in 2014 indicated that certain organic toxic compounds regularly exceed risk levels. Research funding from the 2014 Utah legislative session allowed UDAQ to undertake a …
Read MoreRelevant Documentation 2017 Toxics Report Principal Investigator: Roman Kuprov, Utah Division of Air Quality This report aims to identify where Bountiful fits among other metropolitan areas across the continental United States with respect to Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs)’ concentration and trends. To accomplish that, four other metropolitan areas with diverse levels of industrialization, population, geography, …
Read MorePrincipal Investigator: Nancy Daher, Ph. D. (ndaher@utah.gov), Utah Division of Air Quality A year-long study conducted by the Utah Division of Air Quality (UDAQ) in 2015 showed high levels of formaldehyde and dichloromethane at Bountiful Viewmont monitoring site in Davis County. Measured concentrations of these air toxics were also often associated with a high cancer …
Read MoreRelevant Documentation Scope of Work Air Toxics Final Report Press Release: EPA awards $355K to Utah DEQ for air toxics monitoring in Salt Lake City area Ancillary Data BYU Date for PMF Analysis Trace VOC summer Trace VOC winter Principal Investigator: Munkh Baasandorj (UDAQ/UU), Jaron Hansen (BYU) DAQ Contact: Nancy Daher (ndaher@utah.gov), Ph. D Two …
Read More
Air Quality
Drinking Water
Environmental Response and Remediation
Waste Management and Radiation Control
Water Quality
Executive Director’s Office