Tag: Air Pollution

Top Five Ways to Reduce Pollution and Protect Your Health

Know your air quality. Know how it will affect your health. Get some ideas to clean it up. Put them into a plan. Tools and Information Health symptom tracker for pollution episodes. Details on Utah’s Recess Guidance program. Short and medium-range weather forecast. Track Air Action days and see an Animated forecast of Utah pollution …

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The 12 Days of Christmas? How about the 10 Days of Inversion?

By DEQ Communications Office Utah kicked off its winter inversion season in full force in early December with gunky air that persisted for 10 straight days.  The Utah Department of Environmental Quality took to its Facebook page to provide residents with regular updates, tips for reducing emissions, and links to our air-quality monitoring data. We’ve …

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Is there a “Phil” in your life?

Air Quality: My Top Ten List for Better Air

By Donna Kemp Spangler Utah’s winter chill is creeping upon us, and with that comes the infamous inversions, that for perhaps 10 terrible days of the year have downright frightful and unhealthy air quality. (And no, Phil, it’s not Smaug, it’s smog. ) We know we can’t completely prevent them. It is partly an act …

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UCAIR Isn’t Blowing Smoke with Its Wood Stove Exchange Program

By Bailey Toolson, Guest Blogger  DEQ invites guest bloggers to share their thoughts on issues that impact our environment. We appreciate their insights and the opportunity to broaden the conversation with others in the community. Our mission at UCAIR is to make it easier for individuals, businesses, and communities to make changes that improve our air. …

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DEQ’s CAP Bridges the Gap with Small Businesses

Oct. 16, 2017  By Paul Harding The Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is committed to working with small businesses to safeguard the quality of our air, land, and water. But we are also committed to helping these businesses understand the environmental regulations that affect their operations, listening to their concerns, and exploring strategies and …

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public comments

DEQ: Tips for Making Public Comments Count

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 …

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Volkswagen Settlement to Reduce Emissions, Improve Utah Air

By Lisa Burr Efforts to improve Utah’s air quality are getting a big boost thanks to a nationwide $15.7 billion settlement with Volkswagen (VW) for violations of the Clean Air Act. Utah is set to receive approximately $35 million from the settlement to offset nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from the approximately 7,000 VW, Audi, and …

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Ozone: Dog Days of Summer Have Us All Panting For Cleaner Air

By Donna Kemp Spangler Many people have said to me this summer, “It seems like we’ve had a lot of unhealthy air days.” Turns out, it’s true. Utah is experiencing the worst air pollution, particularly ozone, in a decade. Record heat and massive wildfires have taken their toll on Utah’s air. As a result, the …

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Utah Celebrates Ten Years of “Idle-Free”

By Tammie Bostick-Cooper, Guest Blogger September marks the 10th year of the Idle-Free Governor’s Declaration in Utah. Our state had the first Idle-Free campaign in the nation, and it all started in Salt Lake City. Since 2007, more than 50 Utah mayors have signed the declaration. And in 2011, Salt Lake City–where it all began–became …

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Do Nutrients Fall from the Sky? A Dust Dilemma

By Janice Brahney, Guest Blogger DEQ invites guest bloggers to share their thoughts on issues that impact our environment. We appreciate their insights and the opportunity to broaden the conversation with others in the community. Dust is as old as dirt. Wind erosion and dust storms are natural phenomena in the semi-arid regions of the …

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ZOOm Go Electric: Clean Transportation at a Discount Price

By Clayton Johnson, Guest Blogger DEQ invites guest bloggers to share their thoughts on issues that impact our environment. We appreciate their insights and the opportunity to broaden the conversation with others in the community. Local nonprofit organizations Utah Clean Energy and Utah’s Hogle Zoo have joined forces to offer the ZOOm Go Electric program, …

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Air Assist Helps Millcreek Coffee Roasters Reduce Emissions with Every Cup

By Bailey Toolson, Guest Blogger DEQ invites guest bloggers to share their thoughts on issues that impact our environment. We appreciate their insights and the opportunity to broaden the conversation with others in the community. Millcreek Coffee Roasters, owned and operated by the Brewster family, has been a staple in the Salt Lake City coffee …

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Residential Wood-Burning: To Burn or Not to Burn

April 10, 2017 By Nancy Daher More likely than not, you’ve owned a wood-burning appliance and used it to heat your home during cold, wintry nights. What you might not know, however, is that burning wood emits more pollution in the air than other heating devices. Smoke from residential wood heaters contains toxic pollutants and …

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Legislative Session Helps Us All Breathe a Little Easier

By Scott Baird The whirlwind of Utah’s 45 day legislative session is over, the dust has settled,  and we at the Department of Environmental Quality want to thank you for helping this session to be a success. The appropriations and legislation approved in this session will ensure that the Department can continue its ongoing work …

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