Category: News

DEQ’s joint study provides the Bear River Commission with vital data to manage long-term watershed health and meet federal standards. SALT LAKE CITY, Ut—The Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah Departments of Environmental Quality have released the results of the Tri-State Bear Survey (TBS) to map out the  long-term shared water body quality. The survey found that overall water quality and health

When the Utah State Legislature passed House Bill 78 Nuclear Regulatory Amendments, the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Office was created and tasked with several technical and administrative functions. The Office serves as the official bridge between the State of Utah and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This ensures that when federal licenses are being discussed for Utah projects, the state has

What is nuclear waste? Producing power with nuclear energy creates nuclear waste. The term, nuclear waste, typically refers to “spent” or “used” nuclear fuel. This is fuel that’s been used in a nuclear reactor for about five years and can no longer efficiently sustain a chain reaction. Despite being labeled as “waste,” used nuclear fuel still holds a significant amount

Beyond large-scale disposal and milling, radioactive materials (RAM) are essential tools used in Utah’s hospitals, construction sites, and research universities. As an Agreement State, Utah has the local authority to license and inspect over 200 different organizations that use these materials. What are “Radioactive Materials”? In this context, radioactive materials refers to small, controlled amounts of isotopes used for specific

Utah is home to one of four active commercial disposal facilities for Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) in the United States. Through the EnergySolutions Clive facility, the state provides a critical service for the entire nation, safely managing materials from hospitals, power plants, and research labs. What exactly is “Low-Level” Waste? The term “low-level” refers to how the waste was created

While many states handle radioactive materials, Utah is the only state in the nation with the legal authority to regulate an active conventional uranium mill. This means Utah’s regulators have a level of expertise and responsibility found nowhere else in the country. Current operations at the White Mesa Mill The primary focus of Utah’s current uranium oversight is the Energy

SALT LAKE CITY — On Earth Day (April 22, 2026), more than 80 Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) employees left their desks for their annual Jordan River cleanup. By the end of the afternoon, they had hauled out a staggering 1,940 pounds of garbage. The annual Earth Day service project, hosted in partnership with the Jordan River Commission, brought

From the Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s inception in 1991, strategic planning has always been part of the management decision-making process. Annual planning retreats are held each spring by the individual divisions and by the department as a whole. Internal and external assessments are made; issues are identified; and goals, objectives, and strategies are developed and implemented. These retreats are

The Department of Environmental Quality State of the Environment report highlights the many accomplishments and successes our agency has had throughout the previous year. Read our report to see each Division’s metrics, success stories, and quotes from partners.

As the warm temperatures arrive in Utah, so does summer ozone pollution. Unlike winter’s thick inversions, ozone is odorless and colorless, and can typically not be seen with the eye. Reducing emissions from a number of sources is critical in limiting the formation of ozone.

The state’s new all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning is now being driven by DEQ employees after it was delivered on Oct. 18. It’s the first of five electric trucks the state will add to its fleet in a continued effort to improve air quality.

Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced plans to address the risks posed by air emissions of ethylene oxide (EtO) from commercial sterilizers, and also identified specific facilities where lifetime cancer risk levels are elevated for people who live nearby. The medical sterilization facility BD Medical in Sandy (9450 State St.) was identified as one of those facilities.

Radon is known as the slow, “silent killer.” You can’t smell it, taste it, or see it, but it’s the number one cause of lung cancer death for non-smokers. Although Utah has the lowest rate of smoking in the nation, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in our state.

Beginning today, some students in the Rose Park area will be traveling to and from the classroom in new electric buses. The electric buses replace diesel buses, and were chosen to operate in areas with higher pollution levels. The buses will be the first of their kind in Utah, thanks to a partnership between Salt Lake City School District (SLCSD) and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

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.

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.