The CERCLA Branch in the Division of Environmental Response and Remediation (DERR) performs site investigations of potentially contaminated sites within the State of Utah to determine whether or not they pose a threat to human health and the environment and should be included on the federal Superfund National Priorities List (NPL).
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.
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.
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.
DEQ, Rocky Mountain Power, and UCAIR are partnering for the first-annual 2018 Electric Snow Blower Exchange. The Exchange will offer 432 electric snow blowers at a discounted price to encourage the use of clean-emissions snow blowers during the inversion season. Registration begins October 1, 2018, and ends October 11, 2018.
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.
Wondering what steps they can take to protect their health from wildfire smoke? Attached is a helpful graphic with a few tips on ways to ensure you and your loved ones can breathe easily.
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.
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.
The Wasatch Front and parts of the Uinta Basin were designated as Marginal nonattainment areas for ozone this week by the EPA. A Marginal designation is the least stringent classification for a nonattainment area and doesn’t require the state to submit a formal State Implementation Plan (SIP).
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.
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…
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…
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…
By Donna Kemp Spangler I understand people’s frustrations when they take the time to submit a written or verbal public comment on a regulatory proposal and at the end of the process, the final rule or regulation doesn’t seem to reflect their comment. They walk away with a feeling their comment doesn’t really matter. That’s…