New air standards ready for inversion season

Winter inversions seem likely to sharply reduce Utahns' use of fireplaces this winter, because the Environmental Protection Agency has set new air quality rules on particulates.

That means the red-green burning day advisories, to be issued daily starting today, will be more important than ever.

When air quality is good enough to allow use of wood-burning stoves and fireplaces, the condition is rated as a "green light" period. Whenever pollution builds toward an unhealthy level, it is a "yellow light" and residents are asked to voluntarily curtail use of wood-burning devices and reduce driving.

When air standards are violated, it is a "red light" condition and the state requires no burning of wood. People who repeatedly violate the rules can be fined from $25 to $300.

On Dec. 18, the new EPA standards go into effect, reducing allowed concentrations of fine particles called PM-2.5. The new standard will be 35 micrograms per cubic meter, versus the present limit of 63 micrograms per cubic meter.

Utah counties met the old standard, says a press release from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality. But the new version "will be much more difficult for counties along the Wasatch Front," it adds.

Those expected to face tougher times meeting the rules include Cache, Summit, Juab and Tooele counties, based on air pollution data collected over the past three years, according to the release.

Rick Sprott, director of the Utah Division of Air Quality, was quoted as saying the red-light, green-light program of air pollution advisories and rules was "absolutely crucial" for Utah to meet air quality standards in the winter. During that season, temperature inversions are more likely to lock pollutants in close to the ground.

"It's even more imperative now with the tougher federal requirements," Sprott added.

"If everyone does their part to heed the wood-burning warnings and use mass transit whenever possible, it will make a significant difference in our air quality," Bob Dalley, manager of the state's Air Monitoring Center, adds in the release.

For alerts about air quality, residents can sign up on the DEQ's "Choose Clean Air" internet site, www.cleanair.utah.gov.

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E-mail: bau@desnews.com