This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
By Lee J. Peacock
A recent opinion piece by Tyler Yeates ("Expanding Utah refineries," Opinion, March 17) mistakenly ascribes higher pollution levels to fuel manufacturers in the state, arriving at an uninformed conclusion that gradual refinery expansions will worsen local air quality.
Everyday tasks such as driving a car, turning on a light switch or raising cattle result in some inevitable level of exposure to air pollutants. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency studies health effects and sets stringent standards to minimize this exposure, along with a lengthy public comment period to determine what is acceptable to the community.
To simply state that an emission level is "no longer valid" is unscientific and disregards the numerous technological advancements that industry and regulatory agencies have achieved. In fact, the latest publicly available data from the state shows that the petroleum refineries near the border of Salt Lake and Davis counties represent only 7 percent of the two counties' particulate emissions.
Moreover, investing in a gradual expansion in fuels manufacturing capacity will have very little impact on local air quality — and may help improve it.
The majority of capital investment in U.S. refineries over the past 10 years has gone toward installations that produce cleaner fuels, resulting in a dramatic decrease in vehicle emissions. In addition, these investments generally serve to reduce emissions at refineries and new investments will continue to help further reduce emissions.
Industrial processes like refining are required to use the best available technology to reduce emissions from new or expanded equipment. This and many other requirements put on existing plants and equipment have contributed to a 57 percent reduction in principal air pollutants nationwide since 1980.
Utah's refineries are also required to install numerous monitors on many pieces of equipment that continuously monitor and report emissions from each facility. These data are made available to the Utah Division of Air Quality and the public on a quarterly basis, or sooner if requested.
Suggesting that refineries underreport their emissions is flatly inaccurate. Likewise, stating that the Utah Division of Air Quality has rubber-stamped a project does a disservice to dedicated state employees, who commit months of time and significant resources to review applications and ensure facilities operate within the standards set by state and federal agencies.
We live and work here, too, and expect nothing less for our families and communities.
Lee J. Peacock is president of the Utah Petroleum Association.