This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
As I passed the Capitol on my daily run, the Siouxsie and the Banshees song "Cities in Dust" played in my headphones. Tears welled as my gaze settled on the hazy horizon. "Oh, your city lies in dust, my friend." The song is about ancient Pompeii, but the lyrics apply too well to modern-day Utah, especially with the recent ozone nonattainment regulation extensions granted to Utah by the EPA, as detailed in Emma Penrod's June 7 article.
As a runner, I am biased toward having clean air. But anyone who breathes should feel the same. I put my trust daily in the Division of Air Quality to monitor ozone and PM 2.5 levels, but DAQ Director Bryce Bird's dismissal of the nonattainment extensions as nonimpactful is alarming. HEAL Utah's Matt Pacenza is absolutely correct to say that these extensions negatively impact short-term public health; the longer the nonattainment areas have to come up with a plan to combat pollution, the longer we have poor air quality.
Whatever short-term appeal the DAQ sees in these extensions will only pile up in the form of long-term consequences. This "greater flexibility" is not something a state famous for its pollution can remotely afford.
Kelly Greenwood
Salt Lake City