The U.S. EPA announced on Tuesday, Nov. 10, its intent to redesignate the Salt Lake City and Provo “non-attainment” areas to “attainment” for the 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) under the Clean Air Act.
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Enforcement of regulations that directly affect human health will take priority as Utah DEQ works with regulated communities on a case-by-case basis to determine reasonable exemptions to environmental rules. The department will continue monitoring sources of pollution to protect the safety and health of Utah residents.
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Read about Utah DEQ’s regulatory interests in US Environmental Protection Agency.
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed and provided the following widgets as a service to our citizens.
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By Christine Osborne This week, we take a look back at DEQ’s response to the Gold King Mine release two years ago. On August 5, 2015, EPA contractors were clearing debris from the opening of the Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado, when the blockage gave way, releasing three million gallons of acid mine drainage into …
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By Ann Brown and Karen Stewart, Guest Bloggers 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. Winter in Utah brings to mind crystal clear blue skies, snow-capped mountains, and a long ski season. …
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By Donna Kemp Spangler It doesn’t take a scientist to know Utah has prolonged periods of bad air during the winter. But it does take a team of local and national scientific researchers to understand more fully why we have bad air. For years, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s air-quality scientists have been focused …
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By Ken Bousfield Recent news reports about the presence of hexavalent chromium (chromium-6) in the drinking water in several northern Utah counties have raised concerns among residents about the safety of the state’s drinking water. Fortunately, the levels found in the Davis, Weber, and Box Elder County drinking-water systems are below the California state standard, …
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By Bo Call You may have heard about the low-cost air quality sensors that people have been using to collect personal air quality data during high pollution periods. The question I often get is, “Do they really work?” And all I have to say is, “Well, it depends.” The regulatory monitors we use at DEQ …
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By Doug Hansen The SUCCESS framework is Governor Herbert’s initiative to improve performance in state government by increasing operational efficiencies. In August 2014, DEQ logged its first project into the Success Management Information System (SMIS), the reporting tool used by the Office of Management and Budget to track the implementation of SUCCESS projects. DEQ’s project, …
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By Brandy Cannon Businesses and other sources that emit pollutants into the air often require permits, which set limits on the amount of pollution they can release. Permit writers at the Division of Air Quality (DAQ) are always looking for ways to improve air quality and reduce emissions, particularly the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that contribute …
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