This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
When I moved to Salt Lake City in 2012, I was absolutely amazed by the natural beauty in this state. What is better than living nestled against the Wasatch Mountains and being less than a day's drive from the wonders of southern Utah?
The only thing I can think of is seeing these amazing landscapes with clean air! There is nothing more disturbing than looking down from a hike to the top of Mt. Olympus or standing at the summit of Hidden Peak and not being able to see the Salt Lake Valley that has been blanketed by smog. And we all must remember that clean air is not only an environmental issue. Dirty air is a health concern for us all and our children, an economic disaster for our tourism industry and a political argument that has honestly just gone on for too long.
What more do we have to do to prove to our representatives that the residents of Utah demand clean air? Groups including HEAL Utah, Western Resource Advocates and Utah Physicians for Healthy Environment are pushing the Air Quality Board to establish new standards for industry to improve emissions and reduce air pollution in the state.
As the public, we need to make our voices heard to our representatives and make positive policy changes to protect our air and this naturally beautiful state.
Melissa Mossar
Salt Lake City