As of the morning of July 31, Salt Lake City was among the top 15 cities with the worst air quality worldwide, per a recent air quality report. The findings showed the air pollution ranking in the 90s, putting the city on the edge of the orange zone, or “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”
Utah has been struggling to improve its air quality, as the Deseret News previously reported. The federal threshold for ozone is 70 parts per billion, and the Wasatch Front had, as of May 2024, a ppb of 77. “The state’s Department of Air Quality says its working on a state implementation plan to get those ozone levels down to 70 ppb,” per the article.
Contributing factors to Utah’s air pollution
Geologically, Salt Lake City is at a disadvantage, according to NPR News. The city sits in a kind of “bowl” in a mountain valley, where wind and cold air become trapped with all kinds of pollution. “At least a million people have moved to the valley since 2000, and the air on some days looks — and actually can be — dirtier than Mexico City’s,” per NPR.
In April 2023, the American Lung Association published a report on the region’s air quality. The results put Salt Lake City in 10th place for “the nation’s most polluted cities for ozone” and 19th place for “short-term particle pollution.” Nearby, Logan ranked 17th for short-term particle pollution.
Nick Torres, advocacy director for the Lung Association, said in the report: “As this year’s report makes clear, there is much work to be done in Utah and across the country to improve our air quality. Even one poor air quality day is one too many for our residents at highest risk, such as children, older adults, those who are pregnant and those living with chronic disease. That’s why we are calling on lawmakers at the local, state and federal levels to take action to ensure that everyone has clean air to breathe.”
Wildfires have also contributed to the bad air quality. The U.S. Air Quality Index’s fire and smoke map shows the large number of fires in the West, particularly in Oregon and California. Bryce Bird with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, told KSL-TV West Coast wildfires have worsened air quality in Utah.
The Central Wasatch Commission pointed to additional causes of poor air quality, including industrial expansion, population growth and vehicle emissions.
What Utah residents can do about air pollution
As the Deseret News previously reported, there are steps Utah can take to combat the problems with air quality. The state reportedly submitted a “State Implementation Plan,” which involves an explanation as to how Utah will reduce emissions. “The Division of Air Quality is also looking at implementing short- and long-term rules to lower ozone emissions including rules on small lawn equipment, halogen reduction, metal recycling, composting and more,” per the article.
According to Utah Business, the state received $74.4 million from the U.S. government to fight against air pollution, creating the Beehive Emission Reduction Plan.
“Our guiding mission is ensuring all people in Utah have clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and the opportunity to live healthy lives” said regional administrator KC Becker, per Utah Business. “These grants—unprecedented in their funding–bring us and Utahans closer to achieving these goals. Utah DEQ’s all-voluntary plan will accelerate the deployment of renewable energy in homes across Utah, bring more solar power generation across the State and work to drive down pollution through reduced emissions across multiple sectors. This funding allows the people of Utah to execute their own plans toward a cleaner and more sustainable future.”
Utah Clean Air posted several tips for Utah locals to improve air quality, including carpooling, using public transit, telework, and thermostat adjustment. “Some of us breathe deep at the worksite. Some on the playground. And others out on the trail. But whether we’re at work, at school or at play, we all breathe the same air to live. So, let’s do our best to keep it clean,” says the website, which posted an additional video about Utah’s summer ozone levels.