The Department of Environmental Quality State of the Environment report highlights the many accomplishments and successes our agency has had throughout the previous year.
Click the tabs below to view each Division’s metrics, success stories, and quotes from partners.
Division of Air Quality
The Division of Air Quality (DAQ) works to ensure that Utah’s air quality meets health and visibility standards by implementing policies and plans, issuing permits, conducting research, and verifying compliance with state and federal air quality rules. Over the past year, they have accomplished this through partnerships with industry and small business, process analysis and improvements, and community engagement to address neighborhood-level air quality concerns.
“The Charge Your Yard incentive program has given landscapers an invaluable opportunity to address and overcome their concerns about battery products. Businesses have been able to experience zero exhaust, low maintenance, high power products at little or no cost. Wilkinson Supply and our customers are very grateful for the generosity of the [DAQ] for providing this opportunity. Wilkinson Supply has recognized that the outdoor power equipment industry will be moving more and more towards battery powered products as time continues. We were very excited about the benefits Charge Your Yard would allow us to offer to our customers. We were extremely grateful to be selected to be a participating retailer and recycling center.”
Katie Wilkinson, Wilkinson Supply
Success Story
DAQ Partners With Small Business to Reduce Pollution
Emissions modeling estimates the amount of pollution produced by operating a gas-powered, 2-stroke leaf blower for one hour is equivalent to driving from Ogden to Disneyland – that’s 727 miles! Emissions from 2-stroke lawn equipment, including leaf blowers and string trimmers, contribute significantly to the formation of ground-level ozone across Utah’s Wasatch Front. Ozone is formed when nitrogen oxides (NOx) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) combine in the presence of sunlight and is a trigger for increased respiratory illnesses.
In an effort to reduce ozone pollution and its harmful effects, DAQ created an incentive program called Charge Your Yard to encourage lawn maintenance businesses to exchange their gas-powered equipment with zero-emission, battery-electric units. Partnerships from local metal recyclers and small-engine retailers were vital to the success of the program. One particular retailer, Wilkinson Supply, located in Ogden, went above and beyond to best serve participants of Charge Your Yard.
Wilkinson provided exceptional service to lawn maintenance businesses by assisting them with program registration and collecting their old gas-powered equipment for recycling. They also provided invaluable feedback to our agency and enhanced the program with their industry perspective.
The Grounds Manager for the Little America and Grand America hotels in Salt Lake City, Dirk VanWagoner, recycled 6 gas blowers and 6 gas trimmers in exchange for new, electric equipment from Wilkinson Supply. When asked about his experience with electric equipment, he spoke positively, “I love the convenience of battery power. We love the weed eaters and blowers. We love the quietness. I love not dealing with gas issues, and we have the power we need. Between Little America and Grand America, we have about $14,000 of battery equipment. The Charge Your Yard program was the tipper for me. There is no way I would have gone that way without it. It was a neat program.”
As a result of the 2023 partnership between DAQ and Wilkinson Supply, 53 lawn care businesses recycled 226 string trimmers and 95 leaf blowers, removing 1.25 tons of air pollution from the local airshed.
“The mission of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, ‘Safeguarding and improving Utah’s air, land and water through balanced regulation,’ is admirable,” Katie Wilkinson said. “This was showcased in the Charge Your Yard incentive program. Wilkinson Supply has been grateful for the focus on desired results, rather than a focus on policy.” DAQ’s partnership with small businesses like Wilkinson Supply is a win-win for the local economy and a healthy and prosperous Utah.
