Breathing should be the easiest thing we do. We are born to it, and without it we die. But when air quality is poor, breathing is an effort, and solutions to this health hazard have been all too limited. Until this year. In advance of the legislative session, Gov. Gary Herbert proposed $100 million for clean air research, education and emissions reduction programs — up from $1 million last year. Legislators from both sides have productive ideas for how to spend this windfall — ideas that will make a significant difference to our air — and they are working their way through the Chambers.
But passage of air-quality bills does not guarantee funding, and this is where we the people come in. The Executive Appropriations Committee decides which bills to fund and how fully, and it is up to us to ensure they use every penny Governor Herbert proposed. This is the single most important step you can take for clean air: Go to le.utah.gov and search for Executive Appropriations Committee members. Is your representative among them? Call or email him/her. Repeat your request to each member of the committee. Let this committee know: Utahns want clean air, and we want it now.
Hope Zitting-Goeckeritz, Salt Lake City