By DEQ Communications Office Escherichia coli (E.coli) have been in the news a lot lately. The outbreak in Hildale that claimed the lives of two children, a recent health advisory at Utah Lake’s Sandy Beach, and a boil water order in Lindon City last winter — all attributed to E. coli contamination. And while most …
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July 25, 2017 By Joe Katz Someone once told me “A good project is never finished.” It seems like many environmental cleanup projects support this statement, even some you think are well in the rearview mirror. This is the story of one of them. The Jordan School District built the Sunset Ridge Middle School in …
Read MoreBy Suzan Tahir Some of you might have heard about harmful algal blooms (HABs), and some of you might not…yet. But HABs are happening nationwide, mostly in the warm summer months. As you know, we have trillions of bacteria (good bacteria and bad bacteria) living in our gut (gastrointestinal tract), and they coexist until something …
Read MoreBy Royal Delegge, Guest Blogger DEQ invites guest bloggers to share their thoughts on issues that impact our environment. We appreciate their insights and the opportunity to broaden the conversation with others in the community. Heat is responsible for more deaths in the United States annually than any other weather phenomenon. Given this fact, and …
Read MoreBy Marie E. Owens We have all heard about the lead contamination in Flint, Michigan’s drinking water. Some of you may have wondered if anything like this could happen here in Utah. While the natural water chemistry in Michigan is different than we have here, the major cause of that city’s problem was a …
Read MoreBy Brad Johnson Reliable, science-based information is essential to ensuring the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) makes the best possible decisions and fulfills its mission to safeguard Utah’s air, land, and water. We use the data we collect to protect and inform the public, verify compliance with regulatory standards, and collaborate with local and …
Read MoreBy Janice Brahney, Guest Blogger DEQ invites guest bloggers to share their thoughts on issues that impact our environment. We appreciate their insights and the opportunity to broaden the conversation with others in the community. Dust is as old as dirt. Wind erosion and dust storms are natural phenomena in the semi-arid regions of the …
Read MoreBy Whitney Oswald Imagine being an oil and gas compliance inspector and needing to head out into the field for a few days to inspect many sites. Before even heading out to the field, you have to spend quite a bit of time prepping for your trip. Identifying what sites you want to visit, getting …
Read MoreBy Clayton Johnson, Guest Blogger DEQ invites guest bloggers to share their thoughts on issues that impact our environment. We appreciate their insights and the opportunity to broaden the conversation with others in the community. Local nonprofit organizations Utah Clean Energy and Utah’s Hogle Zoo have joined forces to offer the ZOOm Go Electric program, …
Read MoreBy Jen Potter When I was asked to write a blog about the Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s commitment to employees, I asked myself one important question: does DEQ’s commitment to employees include a commitment to employee engagement? While commitment affects an employee’s overall satisfaction with his or her job, engagement goes a step further. …
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By D’yani Wood Water is a source of life. It only takes one twist of a knob to turn on the sink faucet or the shower, a few button presses to wash your clothes, all with clean water. But it would only take one little dangerous microorganism in that water to make it lethal. Clean …
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By Paul Harding The Utah Department of Environmental (DEQ) strives to provide exceptional service in all we do, but this is especially true in the areas of environmental permitting and inspection. Part of that commitment to exceptional service is responding to concerns or complaints from the public and businesses. That’s where I come in: in …
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By Bailey Toolson, Guest Blogger DEQ invites guest bloggers to share their thoughts on issues that impact our environment. We appreciate their insights and the opportunity to broaden the conversation with others in the community. Millcreek Coffee Roasters, owned and operated by the Brewster family, has been a staple in the Salt Lake City coffee …
Read MoreBy Donna Kemp Spangler The Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) attracts employees who have a strong desire to improve Utah’s environment. So it’s no surprise to find a culture at DEQ where employees promote sustainability practices and participate in community cleanups at work and at home. Every day is Earth Day at DEQ. Earth …
Read MoreApril 10, 2017 By Nancy Daher More likely than not, you’ve owned a wood-burning appliance and used it to heat your home during cold, wintry nights. What you might not know, however, is that burning wood emits more pollution in the air than other heating devices. Smoke from residential wood heaters contains toxic pollutants and …
Read MoreBy Barbara Crouch, Guest Blogger DEQ invites guest bloggers to share their thoughts on issues that impact our environment. We appreciate their insights and the opportunity to broaden the conversation with others in the community. Most people think of the Utah Poison Control Center (UPCC) as the go-to resource if their child/grandchild puts something in …
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Air Quality
Drinking Water
Environmental Response and Remediation
Waste Management and Radiation Control
Water Quality
Executive Director’s Office