ozone travel utah

Utah Fights ‘Untethered’ Ozone Transport Rules in Final Briefs (1)

By Jennifer Hijazi

The Environmental Protection Agency’s inclusion of Utah in strict ozone transport rules flies against years of tradition and Clean Air Act authority, according to briefs submitted by the state.

Utah, energy companies, and the EPA filed final written arguments in the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit on Tuesday. The case is one of many against ozone “Good Neighbor” rules that strengthen requirements for wandering pollution from upwind states.

The rule relies on two prongs: rejecting state ozone plans and replacing them with a federal plan. States and industry have taken the agency to court over both parts ...

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Ozone travel utah.

Ozone Travel is a company that offers unique and exciting travel experiences in Utah. With a focus on adventure, nature, and culture, this company provides tours that take you to some of the most amazing destinations in the state. If you’re planning a trip to Utah, here’s everything you need to know about Ozone Travel.

What is Ozone Travel Utah?

Ozone Travel Utah is a tour company that specializes in outdoor adventure and cultural experiences. Their tours take you to some of Utah’s most beautiful and unique destinations, including national parks, ancient ruins, and scenic drives. They offer a range of tours, from day trips to multi-day expeditions.

Why Choose Ozone Travel Utah?

There are many reasons to choose Ozone Travel Utah for your next trip to Utah. Here are just a few:

• Expert Guides: Ozone Travel Utah’s guides are knowledgeable and experienced, ensuring that you have a safe and enjoyable trip.
• Unique Experiences: Ozone Travel Utah takes you to destinations that are off the beaten path, giving you a unique and authentic experience of Utah.
• Small Groups: Ozone Travel Utah keeps their groups small, so you get a personalized experience and can make new friends along the way.
• Sustainability: Ozone Travel Utah is committed to sustainability, and they take steps to minimize their impact on the environment.

What Tours Does Ozone Travel Utah Offer?

Ozone Travel Utah offers a range of tours to suit every interest and schedule. Here are some of their most popular tours:

Arches and Canyonlands National Parks

This two-day tour takes you to two of Utah’s most spectacular national parks. You’ll hike to iconic arches, explore towering canyons, and witness the stunning beauty of Utah’s natural landscapes.

Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument

This multi-day tour takes you to one of Utah’s most remote and beautiful destinations. You’ll hike through narrow slot canyons, explore ancient ruins, and witness the incredible geological formations that make this area so unique.

Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks

This two-day tour takes you to two of Utah’s most famous national parks. You’ll hike through the otherworldly landscape of Bryce Canyon, explore the towering cliffs of Zion, and witness the stunning beauty of southern Utah.

How to Book a Tour with Ozone Travel Utah

You can book a tour with Ozone Travel Utah online or by phone. Simply choose the tour that interests you, select your travel dates, and book your trip. Ozone Travel Utah will take care of the rest!

Ozone Travel Utah offers some of the most unique and exciting travel experiences in Utah. With their expert guides, small groups, and commitment to sustainability, you’re sure to have a safe and enjoyable trip. So why wait? Book your tour with Ozone Travel Utah today and discover the beauty of Utah for yourself!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in an ozone travel utah tour.

All Ozone Travel Utah tours include transportation, expert guides, and all necessary equipment. Meals, lodging, and entrance fees may be included or additional, depending on the tour.

What should I bring on an Ozone Travel Utah tour?

You should bring appropriate clothing and footwear for the activities on your tour, as well as sunscreen, a hat, and a reusable water bottle. Ozone Travel Utah will provide a detailed packing list before your trip.

Is Ozone Travel Utah suitable for families with children?

Yes, Ozone Travel Utah offers tours that are suitable for families with children. Some tours may have age restrictions, so be sure to check before booking.

What is Ozone Travel Utah’s cancellation policy?

Ozone Travel Utah’s cancellation policy varies depending on the tour. Be sure to read the cancellation policy before booking your trip.

What’s the deal with Utah’s summertime Ozone pollution?

Learn about ozone pollution and how you can take action. 

Summer v.s Winter pollution

Did you know that Utah’s air quality is affected by pollution in both summer and winter? During the winter, air quality in the northern valleys, including Salt Lake City, is among the worst in the nation due to a combination of geography and emissions from human activities. The air is so bad that we can see it. However, in the summer, we face a different type of pollution— ozone pollution, which is invisible but just as harmful to our health.

What is Ozone?

Ozone is a gas made up of three oxygen molecules. While “good ozone” in the stratosphere protects us from the sun’s harmful UV radiation, “bad ozone,” or ground-level ozone, is a major concern, primarily during summer. This type of pollution is created when “ozone precursors” like NOx and VOCs build up throughout the day and react in the presence of heat and sunshine, forming ozone. Once ozone is created, it can blow across regions and states, affecting people far away from the original pollutant sources. 

Exposure to ozone pollution has been described as feeling like getting a sunburn on your lungs. It can damage our lungs and cardiovascular systems, as well as other organ systems.

Climate change is making this problem worse

Due to climate change, Utah is experiencing hotter and drier summers, which means more ground-level ozone. Here at HEAL Utah, we want to help you stay informed and safe, so you can take action to protect yourself and your community.

Gif source: New York Times 

Health effects of ozone pollution

Exposure to ozone can have harmful effects on health, particularly in vulnerable groups such as children, elderly individuals, pregnant people, those with pre-existing lung conditions like asthma, and people who engage in outdoor physical activities. Some common adverse effects include difficulty breathing, chest discomfort, headaches, coughing, aggravated asthma symptoms, lung inflammation, and temporary reduction in lung function. Long-term exposure to ozone has been linked to chronic respiratory issues and increased risk of respiratory infections. Studies have shown linkages between ozone exposure and nervous system, reproductive, and developmental harms. Although higher ozone levels can pose a greater risk, even lower levels may impact sensitive populations.

Where does Utah rank?

Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) moved the Northern Wasatch Front area, which includes Salt Lake and Davis counties and parts of Tooele and Weber counties, from “marginal” to “moderate” nonattainment in November 2021. This means the eight-hour average ozone levels have worsened from 0.071-0.080 parts per million to 0.081-0.093 parts per million.

Utah’s back-and-forth fight on Ozone pollution

In March of this year, the EPA unveiled its most up-to-date “good neighbor” rule, seeking to significantly reduce smog-forming nitrogen oxide pollution from power plants and industrial facilities across two dozen states, including Utah. The “good neighbor” rule, also known as the “Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR),” aims to help states meet air quality standards within their boundaries by creating an accountability mechanism for out-of-state sources of ozone. 

The rule requires Utah and other states to submit plans to reduce emissions from fossil fuel-fired plants and industrial plants contributing to bad air quality in neighboring states. However, if a state fails to submit a plan or submits a plan that does not meet federal standards for protecting downwind states, the federal government will step in to ensure compliance. The “good neighbor” rule is projected to reduce nitrogen oxide production from power plants by 50% in the next four years.

 In response to the EPA’s move to expand the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule to western states, an expensive legal campaign is being waged by Rocky Mountain Power and the state of Utah, amongst others, to avoid compliance. During the 2023 Legislative session, Utah Lawmakers went so far as to appropriate $2 million taxpayer dollars for this fight against the EPA’s new rule. And yet, Rocky Mountain Power recently announced its plans to shut down its last two remaining coal-fired power plants in Utah. The company says that it plans to phase out coal power from the plants to meet federal pollution standards over the short term while building new, small-scale nuclear power plants as replacements for the long term. Although the Hunter and Huntington plants are set to close in the next decade, we have doubts about the feasibility and timeline of their proposed plans. Our official statement can be found here.

Ways to take action

Let’s work together to reduce pollution, especially invisible ozone pollution that will impact us this summer. What can you do? The good news is that there are many ways to reduce ozone pollution both individually and collectively in our state.

On an individual level, one of the biggest ways to reduce air pollution and ozone is to drive less and avoid idling. Vehicle exhaust contributes significantly to our ozone pollution. We encourage you to consider alternatives such as public transit, carpooling, or using your car sparingly. You can also update your home or building with the best and most efficient appliances.

However, it’s essential to remember that systemic change is needed, especially considering that our ability to get from one place to another still relies heavily on cars. Therefore, collective action is necessary to ensure we develop the policies and regulations needed to protect our communities from ozone pollution. 

TAKE ACTION!

To become more involved in civic engagement and promote adherence to state and federal ozone plans, you can use our action alert to contact decision-makers and make plans to attend upcoming compliance meetings.

Air Plan Disapprovals; Interstate Transport of Air Pollution for the 2015 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards. (2023, February 13). Federal Register. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/02/13/2023-02407/air-plan-disapprovals-interstate-transport-of-air-pollution-for-the-2015-8-hour-ozone-national

COBI. (n.d.). Retrieved May 19, 2023, from https://cobi.utah.gov/2023/1/issues/20444

US EPA, O. (2015, May 15). Ground-level Ozone Pollution [Other Policies and Guidance]. https://www.epa.gov/ground-level-ozone-pollution

US EPA, O. (2016, June 21). Ozone Designation and Classification Information [Data and Tools]. https://www.epa.gov/green-book/ozone-designation-and-classification-information

US EPA, O. (2022, February 10). Good Neighbor Plan for 2015 Ozone NAAQS [Other Policies and Guidance]. https://www.epa.gov/csapr/good-neighbor-plan-2015-ozone-naaqs

We’re smack in the middle of the Salt Lake Valley’s hot ozone summer

In recent days, ozone levels in Salt Lake County have been consistently high for sensitive groups, and experts say it’s part of the trend of warmer and sunnier summer months.

Ground level ozone forms from a combination of greenhouse gas emissions, warm temperatures and sunlight. It’s different from the stratospheric ozone layer , which protects people from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. July and August are the worst months for the Salt Lake City area when it comes to this colorless and odorless gas.

Bo Call, who runs the air monitoring network for the Utah Division of Air Quality , said so far this year ozone levels have been lower than in 2021, but things could get worse. In general, the levels have been higher the past few years compared to previous years, likely due to a lack of cloud formation.

“If we have warm temperatures, relatively stagnant air and a lot of sun, then we expect to see elevated levels of ozone,” he said. “That’s a naturally occurring process and we have a pretty high background [or base level] out here.”

Ozone levels decrease as the sun goes down and temperatures drop. Call recommended people avoid doing outdoor activities when air quality is at its worst, usually during the late afternoon.

Ozone can cause irritation and congestion and can be worse for people sensitive to air pollution. Meisei Gonzales, communications director of Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah , said people can do their part to lower emissions when levels are high.

“While, yes, this is something that we might be experiencing more frequently and at higher intensities,” he said, “it's important to still look at that mitigation part of how we can ensure to kind of safeguard our health and our environment as much as possible.”

In the short term, Utah Clean Energy Executive Director Sarah Wright said mitigation means using public transportation and carpooling to cut down on individual emissions. But in the long term, she said the state needs to do more to address climate change.

She said that means doing things like cleaning the electric grid, moving away from fossil fuels, and transitioning to electric cars and home systems.

“The main point with ozone is that it has two factors: the heat, which is getting worse with climate change, and the burning of fossil fuels for transportation mainly,” she said. “If we change our transportation and address climate change, we will be on a track to [have] much cleaner air.”

Air Pollution

What is air pollution.

Air pollution is a mix of hazardous substances from both man-made and natural sources. Vehicle emissions, fuel oils and natural gas to heat homes, by-products of manufacturing and power generation, particularly coal-fueled power plants, and fumes from chemical production are the primary sources of human-made air pollution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Like much of the country, the primary air pollutants of concern in Utah are ground-level ozone and particulate matter (PM). Levels of these pollutants can vary by season, with ozone higher in the summer and PM higher during the winter.

• Noxious gases , which include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds ( VOCs ), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur oxides (SOx), are components of motor vehicle emissions and byproducts of industrial processes.
• Ozone (O3) is an atmospheric gas, which is often called smog when at ground level. It is created when the pollutants NOx and VOCs emitted by cars, power plants, industrial boilers, refineries, and other sources chemically react in the presence of sunlight. It is one of the six EPA criteria pollutants.
• PM 2.5 : Particles with a diameter smaller than 2.5 micrometers (µm, or microns)
• PM 10 : Particles with a diameter between 2.5 µm and 10 µm
• Lead is a toxic heavy metal that can be found in all parts of our environment, partly due to human activities. Major sources of lead in the air include ore and metals processing and piston-engine aircraft operating on leaded aviation fuel. Other sources are waste incinerators, utilities, and lead-acid battery manufacturers. The highest air concentrations of lead are usually found near lead smelters. Once released into the air it may travel long distances before it settles to the ground, where it usually binds strongly to soil particles.

Exposure to air pollution can affect everyone’s health. When we breathe, pollution enters our lungs and can enter our bloodstream. Air pollution can contribute to small annoyances such as coughing or itchy eyes. Exposure to both particulate matter and ozone can also cause or worsen many diseases involving the lungs and heart, leading to hospitalizations, cancer, or even premature death.

Note: If you don't have an air conditioner, staying inside with the windows closed may be dangerous in extremely hot weather. In these cases, seek alternative shelter.

• DHHS Air Quality Communications Toolkit
• Air Quality Indicator Reports
• Asthma Indicator Reports
• Heart Attack Indicator Reports
• Utah Asthma Program
• Utah Division of Air Quality (DAQ)
• Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR)

Wildfire Smoke

Smoke may worsen symptoms for people who have pre-existing health conditions and those who are particularly sensitive to air pollution. Sensitive groups include:

• People with asthma or other chronic respiratory disease
• People with respiratory infections
• People with cardiovascular disease
• People ≥ 65 years of age
• People with diabetes
• Infants and children
• Pregnant woman
• Smokers, especially those who have smoked for several years

High concentrations of smoke can cause a range of health problems, including:

• Burning eyes, a runny nose, cough, phlegm, wheezing, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.
• If you have heart or lung disease, smoke may make your symptoms worse.
• People with heart disease might experience chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, or fatigue.
• People with lung disease may not be able to breathe as deeply or as vigorously as usual, and may experience symptoms such as coughing, phlegm, chest discomfort, wheezing and shortness of breath.

Limit your exposure to the smoke:

• Stay indoors whenever possible and keep indoor air clean by closing doors and windows.
• Avoid physical activities outdoors if smoke is in the air.
• Avoid activities that create more indoor pollution, such as frying foods, sweeping, vacuuming, burning candles, smoking and using gas-powered appliances.
• Choose quality air cleaning technologies that do not create ozone.
• How to Choose a Portable Air Cleaner - CEHN
• Use a do-it-yourself HEPA-filter box fan ( Español ).
• Drink plenty of water to help reduce symptoms of scratchy throat and coughing.
• Monitor the air quality conditions in your area at air.utah.gov
• Consider leaving the area if air quality is poor and it’s not possible to keep indoor air clean, especially for those who have health conditions.
• Check the local air quality index (AQI) on the Utah DEQ’s website or the AirNow website.
• Visit Utah Wildfires Information website.

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. The average person spends up to 90 percent of their time inside. Poor indoor air quality can cause similar health effects as exposure to outdoor pollution such as: decreased lung size and function, acute respiratory illnesses (such as asthma and bronchitis), emphysema, and even some types of cancer.

A person’s risk of experiencing health effects from air pollution varies depending on their age, where they live, underlying health conditions, and other factors. People most at risk of health problems related to indoor air pollution include:

• People with lung diseases, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)
• Infants and young children
• Adults older than 65
• People with a cardiovascular disease
• People who smoke or are exposed to second-hand smoke
• On poor air days, keep doors and windows shut to keep pollutants out.
• Open windows and doors to increase airflow, when outdoor air quality is good.
• Do not use scented or unscented candles, artificial air fresheners, or products with fragrances.
• Optimize heat, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
• A home-made HEPA-box fan filter ( Español ) is an excellent ventilation alternative.
• Indoor Air Quality - EPA
• Air Cleaner Information for Consumers - CA Air Resources Board

WestSide Airsense: Empowering communities through enchanced PM monitoring

Utah APPLETREE has partnered with the University of Utah and the Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Air Quality to learn more about particulate matter (PM) in underserved neighborhoods on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley. The team will be using affordable air quality sensors in those areas to measure levels of PM2.5 and PM10 particles.

We are developing air quality maps and alerts to provide instant, local air quality information. Interested community members can get involved and will be compensated for their time. Community input will also help inform air quality sensors’ placement. Outreach modules on particulate pollution and its impact on local air quality will also be available for use by educators and other interested community members.

If you would like to be involved in this project, please visit:  Westside Air: Get Involved

This project will be completed in May 2026 and updates will be shared here and in the WestSide AirSense newsletter.

To sign up for the newsletter please visit: WestSide Airsense

• +1 (610) 764-1232

• Become a Member

Here’s the Real Story Behind Ozone in Utah

“A semi-permanent low-pressure system off the coast of China lofts pollutant-laden air to the mid and upper free troposphere. Fast winds within that region of the atmosphere then move this air and associated pollutants eastward toward the U.S. Pacific coast. “This occurs within days to weeks with ozone persisting at these altitudes because of the relative lack of chemical sinks and low temperatures in this part of the atmosphere. Semi-permanent high-pressure system over the U.S. Pacific Coast then brings down the upper tropospheric air back to the surface over the western U.S.”

“Intercontinental transport of ozone and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from Asia contributes up to 20 percent of the West’s total ozone concentrations and it has been shown to be growing by 0.5–1 parts per billion (ppb) per year.”

“A new study finds that the western United States reduced its production of ozone-forming pollutants by a whopping 21 percent between 2005 and 2010, but ozone in the atmosphere above the region did not drop as expected in response. The reason: a combination of naturally occurring atmospheric processes and pollutants crossing the Pacific Ocean from China.”

“The U.S. is producing less air pollution, but smog levels are still rising in the western U.S. because of pollutants released in Asian countries that then drift over the Pacific Ocean.”

“This vertical transport of air from aloft is also enhanced by complex topography by creating winds that enhance O3 mixing down mountain slopes, leading to high altitude locations throughout the western US experiencing greater impacts from intercontinental transport of O3 as compared to lower-elevation locations. This intercontinental transport persists throughout the summer season in Utah, leading to enhancements of local ozone concentrations.”

“The large contribution from the stratosphere is part of a natural up-and-down cycle of upper-atmosphere winds. We know pretty well what will happen to the stratospheric contribution in the next few decades; it will continue to go up and down every two years or so.”

“It’s one of those things where on one hand I see some type of evidence on health effects that obviously set the standards. “And yet from a control perspective, just based on what blows into the state and natural background in this environment, I’m not sure how we do that. Practically, what are the consequences for doing that?”

“Nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds are emitted by cars and trucks, industrial facilities, refineries, power plants, household products and cleaning supplies, and paints and solvents.”

“Over the last 15 years, the Wasatch Front airshed has achieved nearly a 40% reduction in volatile organic compounds (VOC) and NOx emissions – the precursor emission that lead to both PM2.5 and ozone pollution.”

RELATED POSTS

Utah Legislature to pledge $2M for ozone fight with EPA

Feds set to impose ‘good neighbor’ rule that would require costly emission controls on coal plants in utah and wyoming needed to limit ozone pollution in colorado..

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Bonanza Power Plant, a coal-fired generating station in Uintah County. The plant, and two others in Utah, could face early retirement under a ozone-reduction plan imposed on Utah by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Overflight provided by EcoFlight.

Editor’s note • This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism.

Utah is gearing up to fight the Environmental Protection Agency over a proposed rule that would require Utah’s coal-fired power plants to install emission-reduction equipment or face early retirement.

Lawmakers plan to appropriate $2 million this legislative session to a legal campaign being waged by Rocky Mountain Power and the state of Wyoming, challenging EPA’s move to include the Beehive and Cowboy states in the Cross State Air Pollution Rule, or CSAPR , also known as the “good neighbor provision” of the Clean Air Act.

This rule has been applied to Eastern states to reduce ozone-forming emissions that leave power plants and cross state lines. A proposed expansion of the rule would target some Western states, drawing condemnation from Utah’s largest utility and lawmakers, who allege enactment of the rule could disrupt Utahns’ access to electrical power.

“The federal government’s latest rule on ozone transport will force early closures of Utah power plants, putting reliable, affordable and dispatchable power at significant risk in the next few years,” Rep. Carl Albrecht, R-Richfield, said last week while pitching the $2 million request to an appropriations subcommittee.

“We’ll be working with other states around us as well. But if we don’t win this battle with the EPA, we’ll be shutting down our coal-fired power plants in the next two or three years,” he said. “None of us will still have the power that we need to operate our daily lives.”

That’s patently absurd, environmental activists responded. If anyone’s to blame for this situation it’s Rocky Mountain Power for refusing to invest in selective catalytic reduction (SCR), a proven method for cutting back nitrogen oxide, or NOx, emissions, said Lindsay Beebe, a Utah-based representative of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign.

“I’m disappointed in the state of Utah, jumping to support a polluting industry,” Beebe said. “The industry portraying itself as a victim in this is really disingenuous, because [Utah] coal plants Hunter and Huntington are some of the most polluting coal plants in the whole country and have been for a while. There’s been numerous rules that have been targeting these coal plants and trying to clean them up for literally decades.”

Sierra Club, HEAL Utah and other groups have been pushing Utah regulators to require Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) to install SCR on its plants under the “regional haze” rule for years without success. Then, last year, the EPA weighed in with its proposed expansion of the “good neighbor” provision to include Utah, Wyoming and Nevada. If adopted this rule would require power plants in those states to have SCR in place by 2026.

Environmentalists applauded this move, which is to be finalized this year.

“It is past time for all large power plants to install and run this highly effective pollution control technology. We also strongly support EPA’s proposal to require reductions in NOx emissions from other high-polluting stationary sources, in addition to power plants,” state joint comments submitted to EPA by Sierra Club and several other groups across the nation. “Greater pollution reductions are still needed, beyond what EPA has proposed, to ensure that no one is forced to breathe unsafe air in part due to interstate ozone transport. Real-world data on ozone values and trends demonstrate that ozone pollution is worse than EPA has projected.”

RMP operates the Hunter and Huntington plants in Emery County, as well as the Jim Bridger and Naughton plants in Wyoming. Also affected by the proposed rule would be the Bonanza plant in Uintah County, but not the Intermountain Power Plant, which is scheduled to transition from coal to natural gas and hydrogen in 2025.

The EPA has determined that NOx from these plants is blown east and potentially forms ozone in Colorado, where the Denver metro area is out of attainment for the federal ozone standard. NOx and other pollutants react with sunlight, rearranging their molecular structure to become ozone, a highly reactive three-atom oxygen molecule that damages lung tissue.

The proposed rule’s cost benefits, projected to be worth at least $9 billion a year in improved public health, far outweigh its costs, according to an EPA fact sheet . Nationwide, it is expected to prevent 1,000 premature deaths in 2026, its first year of implementation, as well as 2,400 hospital and emergency room visits, 1.3 million cases of asthma symptoms, and 470,000 school absence days.

“EPA expects that the emissions reductions projected in the proposal would yield a range of unquantified benefits, including improving visibility in national and state parks and increasing protection for sensitive ecosystems, coastal waters and estuaries, and forests,” the sheet states.

For Utah, however, the agency’s proposed remedy is not realistic and threatens grid reliability, Thom Carter, RMP’s director of governmental affairs, told lawmakers last week.

“There are real technical and procedural issues with the rule and, if implemented as written, there’s a real risk to the system reliability and adverse effects on customers in affected communities,” said Carter, who until recently headed Utah’s Office of Energy Development. “We, Rocky Mountain Power, plan to fully litigate this rule. We are marshaling all of our resources to put up the fight, but we need the state to be the lead and loudest voice in the fight.”

Installing SCR is prohibitively expensive, costing between $100 million and $200 million per unit, according to Jeff Peterson, general counsel for Deseret Power, which operates the Bonanza plant. So the impact of EPA’s application of the good neighbor rule would result in the likely closure of coal-fired plants in Utah and Wyoming.

“It’s very impractical to meet the timelines that they are proposing, both in terms of trying to install SCR by 2026 or trying to get new generation online. This rule is very problematic,” Peterson told lawmakers. “We have issues because we don’t have enough dispatchable power at these times when power demand is at its highest. And this rule would have the effect of shuttering some of that dispatchable power that we have in Utah and would just exacerbate that problem.”

RMP relies heavily on coal to generate electricity for its three-state service area, but it is in the process of pivoting toward emission-free renewables and nuclear power. Still, its corporate parent, Berkshire Hathaway, intends to spare no expense to fight the EPA, according to Carter.

“We have a very large legal department, and we are engaging with outside counsel. We are looking at every possible opportunity legally, within our bounds to spend,” Carter said. “The best way to put this is, we are lawyering up. We are using our resources and partnering with the states to have common interest agreements. I don’t have a specific dollar amount that we will be spending to litigate, but we’re going to litigate.”

HEAL Utah’s Alex Vielleux ridiculed the litigation as a “frivolous” suit that will eat up public money best spent elsewhere.

“We should be listening to the EPA,” said Vielleux. “The EPA has the best available science. All that ozone is crossing state borders, and it’s polluting other places. If those plants need to be shut down by the EPA, we’re going to take their word for it. Instead of spending $2 million on a lawsuit, maybe they should be spending $2 million thinking about where those jobs are going to be when the coal plants start shutting down. We’re just lighting money on fire for what purpose?”

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Office of Undergraduate Research Undergraduate Studies

Examining ozone concentrations across the wildland urban interface in summer of 2023, semester: summer 2023.

Go back to URS Summer 2023

Presentation description

Ozone is a highly reactive gas that occurs naturally and as a result of human activities. Its formation involves complex chemical reactions between sunlight and ozone precursor chemicals that include Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Nitric Oxides (NOx). In urban areas, excessive emissions of these precursor chemicals result in high ozone concentrations that become hazardous to humans. Additionally, rural and wildland areas can experience elevated ozone levels due to local biogenic emissions, atmospheric transport from polluted regions, and transport from large wildfires. These elevated ozone concentrations adversely affect agricultural crops and natural vegetation, resulting in negative ecological impacts. From 2015 to 2020, Salt Lake and Davis Counties experienced a median of 12-15 days where the 8-hour ozone concentration was above 70 parts per billion volume (ppbv). Ozone concentrations of 70 ppbv and above are considered ""unhealthy for all populations"", defined by the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). An additional 20-30 days per year were identified with 1-hour maximum ozone concentrations surpassing 70 ppbv. Long-term exposure to elevated ozone concentrations has been linked to increased mortality rates due to cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular causes, ischemic heart disease, and respiratory causes.||This research was conducted to examine ozone production and destruction in a wildland-urban interface at two locations near the University of Utah. An ozone monitor (2B Model 205) was deployed at Todd's Meadow (UATTM) in the Red Butte Canyon preserve from mid-June to mid-July. Data collected at this site were compared to data collected at the mouth of Red Butte Canyon (MTMET). To quantify the ozone concentrations in Red Butte Canyon, time series at 15-minute intervals were analyzed at both sites during the period.

Presenter Name: Tyler Meyers

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Ground-level ozone is getting worse. Here's what it means for your health.

The increase in ground-level ozone caused by climate change raises the chance of respiratory problems – people with asthma, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis are especially at risk.

Belching factory smokestacks and black smoke pouring from muscle-car tailpipes made the air unsafe to breathe in parts of the United States before legislation passed in the 1960s and the following decades helped reversed the trend. But now experts say a “climate penalty” is kicking in, with climate change worsening a key aspect of air quality: surface-level ozone. This ozone is especially damaging to the respiratory system, harming airways and making lungs susceptible to infection.

Air quality in the U.S. 30 years from now will be similar to that of the early 2000s —rather than the better air we have today, according to a report released in February by the research firm First Street. The causes of the bad air are rising ozone due to warmer temperatures along with climate-induced wildfires, which are expected to increase in frequency and severity. (The smoke from these fires increases tiny inhalable particulate matter known as PM2.5.)

Both will lead to more days of unhealthy air.

As surface-level ozone worsens, more than 400 counties in the U.S. that do not currently suffer any poor-air-quality days will experience them in the coming years, according to the First Street report.

Heat waves— already three times more frequent and lasting longer than in decades past—are especially conducive to troublesome ozone spikes.

“When you have high temperatures, a lot of sunshine, and stagnant air—which is common during a heat wave—that’s a perfect recipe for making surface ozone,” says Loretta Mickley, a senior research fellow in chemistry-climate interactions at Harvard University.

According to a study Mickley coauthored, parts of the country will see high levels of ozone trigger twice as many bad-air alert days by the 2050s —sometimes up to nine days a year.

Even now, ozone is making air quality worse in some locations than previously, says Jeremy Porter, a climate implications scientist at First Street. “This is almost always tied to climate change,” Porter says. (The organization’s Risk Factor website quantifies air quality risk, along with flood, fire, and other climate-related perils, for individual properties across the country.)

The U.S. government also highlights ozone’s role in its Fifth National Climate Assessment, released last fall. Ozone is one of the reasons “climate change is projected to worsen air quality in many regions, harming human health,” the report states.

Heat plays a huge role

Ground-level ozone is a colorless gas that forms when a mixture of precursor volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides interact with sunlight. While some of these precursors are emitted naturally from trees and soils, many come from human activity, particularly vehicles, power plants, industrial boilers, refineries, and chemical plants.

Ozone is linked to climate because air temperature is an important weather factor in driving ozone formation. “Hotter temperatures allow the chemicals to combine and produce ozone,” Porter says. Overall higher temperatures lead to more average days each year when ozone levels may be elevated as well as to more short-term spikes.

The National Climate Assessment report predicts severe ozone episodes will become more frequent in the Northeastern U.S. and California, while year-round ozone will rise the most in the Midwest and Northeast. First Street also believes pockets in the Great Plains, Deep South, and Gulf Coast are becoming ripe for year-round air issues.

Low-income and minority communities are especially at risk, according to the national assessment, because they tend to be located closer to the factories and oil refineries that emit many precursor chemicals.

“Everyone needs to pay more attention to ozone,” says Jeffrey Yanosky, a researcher at the Institute of Energy and the Environment at Penn State University. “Many people are largely unaware of potentially dangerous substances in the atmosphere and that the levels of those substances may be rising.”

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People with asthma will suffer most.

Ozone, a compound made from three oxygen atoms, can also form in the stratosphere, where it plays a protective role because it absorbs a type of ultraviolet radiation—UVB—that causes skin cancer and harms marine life. Concerns rose in the 1980s when scientists realized that the ozone layer over Antarctica had thinned (dubbed the ozone hole) and allowed harmful radiation to pass through. This led to an international agreement, the Montreal Protocol, to phase out stratospheric ozone-harming chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons.

( What is the ozone layer, and why does it matter )

But while stratospheric ozone is protective, high levels of ground-level ozone are detrimental to vegetation, animals, and people, which is why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency labels it a “ harmful air pollutant .”

Ground-level ozone is especially damaging to the respiratory system. It harms airways and makes lungs susceptible to infection, and many people report coughs or scratchy throats, and pain while breathing. These effects can occur even in those who are otherwise in good health. Yanosky recalls biking in Sacramento on a day that ozone levels were high and feeling his throat and chest burn during the ride.

People with asthma, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis are especially at risk. Deaths from respiratory illnesses are more common in areas with high levels of ozone, according to the EPA.

Margarita Torres, a 50-year-old medical education coordinator in Homestead, Florida, has suffered from asthma since childhood. Torres is increasingly concerned about how South Florida’s warmer weather and more frequent heat waves will likely exacerbate local ozone levels and her disease.

“With spring and summers longer and hotter, I worry about how climate change will continue to affect my asthma,” Torres says. “What’s going to happen to a person like me?”

( Air pollution kills millions every year, like a ‘pandemic in slow motion’ )

Health gains touted by the EPA—a product of decades of regulations that make air cleaner—include preventing more than 100,000 hospital admissions and millions of lost work and school days in the past 50 years. These advances are now at risk of reversing, Porter says.

Certain trees, including the ponderosa and white pine trees, black cherry trees and red alder, are also readily damaged by too much surface ozone.

Reversing the trend

Converting many vehicles from fuel to electric will be especially important for improving air quality. Studies show that in many cities, the largest contributors to high-ozone levels are cars and trucks .

Other actions that limit the greenhouse gas emissions fueling climate change are also crucial for reducing troublesome air, including switching to renewable energy and encouraging methane reduction in agriculture and natural gas extraction.

People can track the level of ozone (as well as PM2.5) in their community on the EPA’s website, AirNow . When ozone is high, the EPA recommends staying indoors as much as possible.

If you must go out during an ozone spike, the EPA advises taking public transportation over driving a car, or at least limiting car engine idling to lower the amount of volatile organic compounds emitted. It’s also advisable to put off using household or garden chemicals that evaporate into the air, which can generate additional surface ozone.

“A lot of what will happen in the future depends on our approach to the emissions of the human precursors,” Mickley says. “Going forward we have a choice of what we see.”

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“Smog Lake City”: The History of Utah’s Poor Air Quality

Utah is known for its natural beauty. Thanks in part to the splendor of places like the Wasatch Mountains, Moab, and Canyonlands National Park, tourism has grown exponentially in the past several decades with people learning what Utah has to offer. What many may not know, however, is that Salt Lake City is sometimes referred to as “Smog Lake City.” On bad air days, there is a visible blanket of smog that is filled with particulate matter and contaminants.

The atmosphere has changed over time as Salt Lake County and Utah County have grown in population significantly since 2020. According to an article by the Utah Deseret News, “July 1, 2023, estimates produced by the Utah Population Committee show a total Utah population of 3,456,482, adding 55,989 residents to the state since July 1, 2022. The midyear reference date reflects a post COVID-19 era, with rising inflation, increasing interest rates, and a moderation of high growth from the last few years.” With increased travel, newly built homes, and more people across the state, the air quality was bound to change. Let’s dive into the science behind air quality and how polluted air gets trapped. 

Photo: Kendal Ryle

The Science

What causes this to happen? Is it natural or man-made? Or both?

To develop a better understanding, we have to know what air quality is and how it is affected. Air quality is a measure of how clear or polluted the air is. In the Salt Lake Valley, and other areas, inversion is the main component that traps the pollutants within the atmosphere. Inversion is a natural phenomenon where the air pressure and temperature changes traps cold air under warm air. When pollutants are released into the atmosphere, this causes the layer of inversion to contain them. Some examples of pollutants include emissions from vehicles, home heating, factories and industrial processes, and wildfires. It can also be caused by soil disturbance from construction sites. Poor air quality is the result of inversion and pollutants mixing within the atmosphere. 

There are two air quality components that are studied and monitored: Ozone (O3) and PM2.5. Ozone is a gas composed of three atoms of oxygen . Ozone occurs both in the Earth’s upper atmosphere and at ground level, which can be good or bad depending on the elevation. At ground level, O3 is a harmful air pollutant created by chemical reactions and is the main ingredient in “smog.” This happens when pollutants emitted by cars, power plants, industrial boilers, refineries, chemical plants, and other sources chemically react in the presence of sunlight. PM2.5 is particulate matter, fine inhalable particles with diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller . Some are emitted directly from a source (e.g. construction sites, unpaved roads, fields, fires). Most particles form in the atmosphere as a result of complex reactions of chemicals such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are pollutants emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles. Both Ozone and PM2.5 are analyzed when comparing air quality and public health.

Air quality is measured with the Air Quality Index (AQI). The index value ranges from 0 to 301 and higher, which determines the amount of pollution in the air. Each section has a defining color that signifies the quality (e.g. orange means the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups, 101- 150 index value). AQI tracks five major air pollutants: ground level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and airborne particles, or aerosols. Ground level ozone and airborne particles are the two air pollutants that pose the greatest risk to human health in the United States.

Where does Utah air quality stand in 2024?

Studying the AQI data from the Central Wasatch Commission’s Environmental Dashboard, it appears that not all has changed for the worse. Figure 1 shows the average amount of O3 (ppm) in the Salt Lake Valley atmosphere on a monthly basis. The top graph shows a bell-curve trend where ozone levels are higher during the summer months. These results are due to an increase in sunlight that reacts to ground level O3 pollutants. The bottom graph shows a gradual increase in average annual O3 ppm since 2006, which is the first year we had year-round data available. Before 2006, we only had summer data available, which accounts for the higher average levels of O3. This change is likely explained by the increase in population growth, tourism activity, and industrial expansion.

Figure 1. The average amount O3 (ppm) in the Salt Lake Valley atmosphere on a monthly basis. The graph on the top compares the years 2006 and 2022. The bottom graph describes the historic O3 in the region on a yearly basis. 

The graph in Figure 2 describes the shifts in the average PM2.5 over the past 23 years. The top section compares the daily PM2.5 average in 2000 (blue) and 2023 (red). Initially you may notice there is significantly more PM2.5 in December and January of 2000, compared to 2023, aligning with typical inversion months. This is also the case in the other early spring months and August (potentially due to wildfires). Historically, the average annual PM2.5 levels are split between two decades of annual average levels. From 1999 to 2010, the annual average consistently stayed above 9.000 PM2.5 ( μg/ m 2 ); whereas, from 2011 to 2023, the average levels were almost always below this level and even reached as low as 6.454 PM2.5 ( μg/ m 2 ) in 2019. Although we see similar month-to-month air quality trends aligning with our yearly inversion, the graphs show a general improvement in PM2.5 levels over the past two decades. 

Figure 2. The average amount PM2.5 (μg/m2) in the Salt Lake Valley atmosphere on a daily basis. The graph on the top compares the years 2000 and 2023. The bottom graph describes the historic PM2.5 in the region on a yearly basis. 

Based on the provided data, there is evidence of improvement but room to grow. Thousands of Utahns are pressuring state officials to work towards improving air quality and holding mass polluters accountable. Organizations such as O2 Utah , Heal Utah , and Ucair are working towards a healthier and more sustainable future for everyone affected by the “smog”.

If you are asking yourself, “ what can I do to help reduce my air quality impact?”

Here are some ways to reduce pollutants created by Salt Lake City Sustainability Department :

• Avoid wood burning
• Don’t idle your car
• Drive less and take public transportation, walk, or bike
• Avoid volatile organic compounds, also known as VOCs (e.g. paints, aerosol sprays, air fresheners, hobby supplies, etc.)
• Be conscious about what you spray in the air!

Keep you, your family, and your community safe by being considerate, and advocating for a healthier place to live. 

Learn more about air quality on the CWC’s Environmental Dashboard and explore the interactive graphs shown above. 

References:

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2023/12/6/23991205/utah-population-grow-census-estimates-covid-pandemic-inflation

https://www.slc.gov/sustainability/air-quality/what-you-can-do-for-air-quality/   

https://cwc.utah.gov/environmental-dashboard/air-quality-climate/  

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