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Move Ensures Utah Develops Real Clean Up Plans to Really Protect Public Health
Contact: Jeremy Nichols (303) 573-4898 x 1303

Salt Lake City—Inthe face of ongoing violations of particulate matter air quality standards andthe threat of sanctions from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),the State of Utah has withdrawn three flawed air pollution plans for theWasatch Front.

“This move is a recognition that Utah must do better if ithas any chance of truly protecting clean air and public health,” said JeremyNichols, Climate and Energy Program Director for WildEarth Guardians. “It’s time for Utah to start gettingserious about putting people before polluters.”

In 2005, the State of Utah submitted air pollution plans forUtah County, Salt Lake County, and Ogden. It was claimed the plans would maintain compliance with federal airquality standards limiting particulate matter pollution, or PM₁₀. PM₁₀ includes particles thatare 1/7^th the width of a human hair or smaller and come from fossilfuel combustion, road dust, and land disturbance. If approved, the plans would have rolled back clean airsafeguards for much of the Wasatch Front.

In 2009, the EPA proposed todisapprove those plans as inconsistent with the Clean Air Act. The EPA found that, despite Utah’s claimsthat the plans would effectively limit particulate matter pollution, or PM₁₀,both Utah and Salt Lake Counties have continuously violated federal air qualitystandards for PM₁₀ for several years now. A number of other flaws were also identified.

Facing the prospect of a final EPA disapproval, Utah insteadwithdrew its air pollution plans. The move ensures air quality regulations are not rolled back and alsoensures Utah develops truly effective PM₁₀ clean up plans.

This effort was given a boost last week when WildEarthGuardians formally petitioned the EPA to order to State of Utah to more quicklyclean up its air pollution or face sanctions.

Utah’s move also calls into question the validity of recentUtah decisions allowing Kennecott Utah Copper to increase its production ratesat its Bingham Canyon copper mine in western Salt Lake County. The most recent production increase waspremised upon claims that the Salt Lake County area was in compliance with PM₁₀standards, and that the EPA would approve Utah’s PM₁₀ clean upplan.