Air Quality
Drinking Water
Environmental Response and Remediation
Waste Management and Radiation Control
Water Quality
Executive Director’s Office
Ozone: Let’s Make “Zero Bad-Air Days” Our Goal this Summer
Ozone can harm our health. That’s why Utah DEQ is urging everybody to make this a “Zero Bad-Air Days” summer by making small changes that reduce emissions.
Read MoreTag: Emissions
Cold Start/Idling Emissions
Principal Investigator: Randy Martin (USU), Joe Thomas (WSU) Reducing automobile emissions has been a central component of the state’s plans to improve air quality. Unfortunately, there is little literature or data that identify the benefits or consequences from changes to the way individuals and fleets start their vehicles, particularly under Utah-specific conditions. A small, earlier …
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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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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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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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ULend Program Helps Oil and Gas Operators Reduce Emissions
By Whitney Oswald The Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ’s) Division of Air Quality (DAQ) believes sound science leads to good decisions and effective regulations. That’s why we conduct research on complex air-quality issues — to identify causes and find solutions. For example, we’ve seen an increase in winter ozone levels in the Uinta Basin in recent years, and …
Read MoreOil and Gas App Streamlines Inspection Process
By Whitney Oswald Imagine being an oil and gas compliance inspector and needing to head out into the field for a few days to inspect many sites. Before even heading out to the field, you have to spend quite a bit of time prepping for your trip. Identifying what sites you want to visit, getting …
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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 …
Read MoreLegislative 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 …
Read MoreIdling Gets Us Nowhere Fast!
by Tammie Bostick Cooper, 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. Ten years ago, my niece came to my mountain home and announced her class was campaigning to stop the …
Read MoreAir Quality Internships: Working with Purpose and Passion to Clean Our Air
By Austin Pettey It’s awesome when an incredible opportunity opens up, and it seems like all your hard work is beginning to pay off. I was recently selected as a summer intern with the Utah Division of Air Quality (DAQ). I am a third year student at the University of Utah studying chemical engineering. While …
Read MoreTier 3 Standards Will Help Clean Utah Air
By Glade Sowards There’s been a lot of buzz in Utah lately about Tier 3—shorthand for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Tier 3 Vehicle Emission and Fuel Standards Program. When a geeky name like Tier 3 becomes a household word that’s used not only by us policy wonks but by Governor Herbert, mayors, legislators, radio …
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