Who You Gonna Call? Reporting Pollution to DEQ’s Spill Hotline
Utah residents play a vital role in reporting pollution. DEQ has a dedicated Environmental Incident Notification telephone number. This number is sometimes referred to as the “spill hotline.”
Ways to Winterize Your Home, Clean the Air and Cut Emissions
Winterizing your home is one of the easiest ways to cut down on personal emissions. It also saves you money on energy costs. Here are a few steps to take before the weather gets any worse.
Monitoring Matters: How Air-Quality Monitoring Helps Utah’s Air
Air monitoring is the beginning–and the end–of everything we do at the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to protect and improve Utah’s air.
Wood-Burning Restrictions Go into Effect November 1
The Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) reminds residents that wood-burning restrictions go into effect November 1, 2018, and urges Utahns to use online and mobile tools to monitor daily PM2.5 levels.
Centro Civico Cleanup
Although the cleanup at the Centro Cívico seemed pretty straightforward, navigating a solution required DEQ employees to solve problems, actively engage stakeholders, and address public concerns with a professional and fair approach.
Wildfire’s Impact on Our Environment
Widespread wildfires in summertime —and, now, even springtime—are rapidly becoming the “new normal” in the American West. Along with the destruction and loss of forest caused by blazes, there are immediate and long-term environmental impacts that dramatically affect vital resources.
Curb Your Enthusiasm: How to Recycle Right in Utah
Not all recycling is created equally. There are common household items that should never go in the general recycling bin. Here is what to do with the recyclable trash that doesn’t go to the curb.
Asbestos in Your Home: Precaution, Not Panic
Asbestos was once considered a “miracle material” for its heat-resistant properties, but we now know that airborne asbestos fibers can cause respiratory damage. Learn what to do if you find asbestos in your home, and remember, removal isn’t necessarily your best option.
Learn About & Check Utah Recreational Water Quality
Before you head out to swim, boat, or fish, always check the current water conditions! We provide crucial, up-to-date information on potential concerns like Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and waterborne pathogens, along with important health advisories. Recreate responsibly and enjoy Utah’s beautiful waters with peace of mind.
Ogden Business Exchange – Voluntary Cleanup Program
Historic Ogden Union Stockyards An Ogden Brownfields project tackled environmental uncertainties at the historic Ogden Union Stockyards. In approximately 1905, the 50-acre stockyards were a shipping point to on- and off-load livestock to the railroads. The stockyards eventually closed in 1971, and the property slowly fell into disrepair. Parts of the property were used for various other purposes, including drum and container
The Toxic Release Inventory (TRI): What It Means, How It’s Used
By Christine OsborneThe Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) is a public database that chronicles toxic chemical releases, transfers, waste management, and pollution-prevention activities throughout the United States. A recent Forbes article ranked Utah as the third-highest state in the country for toxic releases based on data in the TRI for the reporting year (RY) 2015. These same data ranked Salt Lake County #2 in
Water Quality and Macroinvertebrates: A Story under Every Rock
By Amy Dickey What’s the first thing most people do when they walk up to a stream? Perhaps they feel it to check the temperature. Maybe they toss a stick and see how far downstream the water carries it, or cast a line to see if the fish are biting. I prefer to grab a submerged rock, flip it in
DEQ Forecasters Keep Their Eyes on the Sky during Ozone Season
By Kimberly Kreykes Like many people, my day starts with the weather forecast. Not just because it is my passion, but because it is my responsibility to stay informed — I am the lead air-quality forecaster for the Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ’s) Division of Air Quality (DAQ). Along with two other DAQ forecasters, Shauna Ward and Kristy Weber,
Water, Water, Everywhere: Is Your Drinking Water Safe after a Flood?
Over the past month, snowpack runoff, wet weather, and warm conditions have led to major flooding in northern Utah. When the Bear River crested in mid-February 2017, Garland City, Tremonton, Bothwell, Thatcher, East Garland Park, Riverside, Fielding, Plymouth, Corinne, Deweyville, Portage, and areas below the Cutler dam were hit with area-wide flooding. Roads and railroad crossings were washed out, floodwaters
Mercury in Fish: When Catch and Release Is Good for You, Too
By Amy Dickey Editor’s Note: The recent release of metals-laden sediment from Tibble Fork Reservoir has raised concerns among anglers about heavy-metals contamination in fish in the American Fork River. The Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is currently collecting live fish downstream from the reservoir and will be testing them for the presence of metals such as lead and zinc.
Willard Spur: Resolving Conflict through Collaboration
By Jeff Ostermiller Willard Spur Sometimes it’s hard for me to keep my inner cynic in check. This is particularly true during presidential elections, when the divisive nature of our political system makes compromise among differing viewpoints seem impossible. In contrast to presidential politics, our collaboration on Willard Spur embraced divergent views to help find solutions to a seemingly intractable