Category: Featured

2020 State of the Environment

Executive Director Message
2020 State of the Environment Report

At the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) our job is to improve the lives of all Utahns — from the Beehive State’s rural backbone to its heart along the Wasatch Front. The State of the Environment report is our annual opportunity to showcase some of DEQ’s many successes. In this report, you will learn …

Image of the Utah Capitol on a polluted day with the words "Inversion Season 2020-2021

Inversion Season 2020-2021

On Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, we sat down with Utah DEQ’s Division of Air Quality Monitoring Manager Bo Call to learn about how Utah’s air quality is monitored, how it’s improving and what it will look like this inversion season.

Gov.-elect Cox Names Kim Shelley as DEQ’s Executive Director

Gov.-elect Cox Names Kim Shelley as DEQ’s Executive Director

Today, Gov.-elect Spencer Cox and Lt. Gov.-elect Deidre Henderson named Kim Shelley as their pick for Executive Director of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality.

Image of traffic during an inversion with the words "Frequently Asked Questions About Utah’s Inversion Season"

Frequently Asked Questions About Utah’s Inversion Season

Utah has great air most of the year, but during the winter we experience “inversions.” Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Utah’s winter air quality.

Image of tractors with the words DEQ Helps Utah Cities Address Polluted Properties

DEQ Helps Utah Cities Address Polluted Properties

To help communities assess and clean up sites contaminated by hazardous waste and petroleum, DEQ provides assistance seeking U.S. EPA Brownfields grants. This year, Salt Lake County, Murray, Spanish Fork City and Green River are vying for federal money to help clean up blighted properties.

EPA Announces Air Quality Milestone in Utah

The U.S. EPA announced on Tuesday, Nov. 10, its intent to redesignate the Salt Lake City and Provo “non-attainment” areas to “attainment” for the 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) under the Clean Air Act.

Image of mountains in fall with the words Seven Ways to Cut Emissions and Winterize Your Home

Seven Ways to Cut Emissions and Winterize Your Home

Fall is quickly turning to winter. Before the snow blankets Utah, here are some helpful tips to winterize your home and reduce emissions.

Image with Season Wood Burn Restrictions Begin Nov. 1

Seasonal Wood Burning Restrictions Begin November 1

The Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality reminds Northern Utah residents that wood burning restrictions go into effect Nov. 1, 2020. Help improve our air quality and protect the health of your neighbors and loved ones by following the wood burning restrictions.

Working Safely With Asbestos

Asbestos has been used since ancient times. In mid-century America, it was used in countless residential and industrial construction products. Learn more about the health risks and how to safely deal with asbestos on remodeling and demolition jobs.

Testing the Waters at the Inland Port

To protect the Great Salt Lake, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Quality developed a water quality sampling plan to check the effects of the inland port on the lake. This will provide the Utah Inland Port Authority and DEQ scientists with valuable data about potential stormwater-related pollution at the site.

Understanding Wildfire Smoke Pollution

The wildfires may be in California, but the smoke, and its health effects, are here in Utah. Learn more about smoke pollution and what you can do to protect your health.

Radon Poster Contest

Utah Students Leading Radon Awareness Campaign

Utah students are doing their part to bring awareness of radon in Utah by participating in the 2020 National Radon Poster Contest, which begins October 22. State contest winners will receive cash awards. There are three categories: Grades 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12.

Cleanup Success at Ogden’s Swift Building

For 100 years, the Ogden Swift Building was used as a meatpacking plant, warehouse for surplus military items and a chemical manufacturer. To clean up the property, DEQ used a host of tools to bring it back into economic use.

Text reads: Repairing older cars to improve air quality

Vehicle Repair Program Helps Fix Older Cars to Improve Air Quality

For residents who find themselves in need of auto repairs they can’t afford, DEQ’s Vehicle Repair and Replacement Assistance Program helps. Funded through an EPA Targeted Airshed Grant, the program helps fix or replace polluting cars that don’t meet emissions standards.

Picture of farm with words: DEQ Helps Farms Protect Water Quality

DEQ Helps Farms Protect Water Quality

To aid Utah’s farmers and ranchers, the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality have begun the Agricultural Voluntary Incentive Program to help farming operations develop Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans.

Utah Scientists Using Sewage to Track Coronavirus

Utah Scientists Using Sewage to Track Coronavirus

In April, a pilot program was launched to determine whether monitoring sewage for coronavirus could provide a useful tool for public health officials for early detection of rising infections, monitoring overall community infection trends, and confirmation of low infection rates.