MagCorp saw its emissions drop from 24 million pounds in 2000 to 14.3 million in 2001 — a whopping 68 percent decrease.

As a result, this is the lowest release-to-air total in the state's 15-year history of TRI reporting.

"Industry should be applauded for its investment in pollution control technologies," said Jeff Salt of the Great Salt Lake Audubon. "As a society, we must do everything in our power to ensure more investments in cleaner technologies are made so that we can reduce the harmful impact toxic pollution has on humans and wildlife."

Utah's water pollution remained unchanged with 1 million pounds, mostly nitrate compounds released from Geneva Steel to Utah Lake.

Although overall pollution declined, 18 percent more lead was released into the environment nationwide.

That's because more companies were required to disclose their lead releases, which amounted to 443 million pounds of lead — nearly 100 million pounds in Utah — that mostly comes from mining tailings, fertilizers and smokestacks at fossil-fuel power plants. There is an EPA-designated Superfund site in Eureka to rid the town of its soils contaminated with high levels of lead, which can cause infertility problems and impair learning development in children.

"The silver lining is that, overall, things are getting better," said Jason Groenewold, spokesman for Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah (HEAL Utah). "But certainly there is lots of room for improvement, especially if we are going to protect the health of our children."

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