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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.
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Make Your Voice Heard and Your Comments Count
Public participation matters! The Utah Department of Environmental Quality is committed to using the public notice and comment process to improve its decisionmaking. Here are some tips for making effective comments on agency permits, rules, and decisions.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Public Notices
See Department of Environmental Quality public participation opportunities (public notices) below. Division of Air Quality Division of Drinking Water Division of Environmental Response & Remediation Division of Waste Management & Radiation Control Division of Water Quality DEQ Contact
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Making Effective Public Comments to DEQ
Different kinds of agency decisions call for different approaches for making effective comments. The most effective comments have one of two primary elements in common: they request actions the agency has legal authority to make, or they provide new information the agency has not yet considered.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Public Notice and Comment ProcessUpdate Starting May 8, 2012 public comment will be a prerequisite to challenging permitting decisions. Under Section 19-1-301.5, effective May 8, 2012, a person who wishes to challenge an Permit Order may only raise an issue or argument during an adjudicatory proceeding that was raised during the public comment period and was supported with sufficient…
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Utah Environmental Law and Standards
Utah environmental legal requirements are generally found in three places: Utah Statutes | Utah Rules | Licenses and Permits Utah Statutes Statutes are laws passed by the Utah Legislature and, usually, signed by the Governor. Utah statutes usually provide general guidance about control of pollutants and about how Utah Department of Environmental Quality should implement…
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Making Effective Comments About Proposed Permits and Licenses
If an application meets all legal requirements, DEQ is required to issue a license or permit. For that reason, most effective comments have one of two primary elements in common: they request actions the agency has the legal authority to make; or, they provide new information the agency has not yet considered. A review of…
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Making Effective Comments on Proposed Rules
It may be helpful when commenting on a proposed rule to consider the agency’s authority to make the rule. Most environmental statutes authorize one of DEQ’s boards to make rules; the boards have only the authority given to them in that statute. The Utah Drinking Water Board, for example, has these authorities: (1) The board…
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Making Effective Comments about Settlement of a Violation
Most DEQ agencies have an enforcement or penalty policy that guides its decisions about settling a violation. Reviewing the relevant policy would help a commenter focus on those matters that an agency will ordinarily consider. Statute Penalty Policy Air Conservation Act Utah Admin. Code R307-130 Air Conservation—Federal Asbestos Hazard Enforcement Utah Admin. Code R307-135 Drinking…
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Underground Storage Tank Newsletter
Underground Storage Tank Newsletter administered by the Petroleum Storage Tank Branch (PST) of the Division of Environmental Response and Remediation. Archives
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Ogden Business Exchange – Voluntary Cleanup Program
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…
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The Toxic Release Inventory (TRI): What It Means, How It’s Used
By Christine Osborne The 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…
