Utah’s Air Quality

Smoke from fires in the Pacific Northwest create haze at Utah State University....
Carter Williams, KSL.com

Hazy, smoky skies return to Utah — but for how long?

Yes, wildfire smoke is back making hazy skies in Utah. Winds brought smoke from the Pacific Northwest into Utah on Wednesday.
1 month ago
TRAXX train stop...
MARIAH MAYNES, KSLNewsRadio

UTA announces ‘Zero Fare for Clean Air’ on Thursday and Friday

Utah Transit Authority announced free fare days August 17-18. The free fare days, called “Zero Fare for Clean Air” are funded by the Utah State Legislature. The project intends to increase awareness and encourage public transit use on bad air quality days. 
2 months ago
The Wasatch Front pollution...
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com 

Environmental justice report shows air quality disparities on Salt Lake City’s west side

Pollution has a "disproportionate" impact on several neighborhoods on Salt Lake City's west side, according to a preliminary report issued by the Environmental Protection Agency.
2 months ago
Air purifier...
Lauren Steinbrecher

Deadline nearing for Utah schools to get free air purifiers

Back-to-school preparations aren’t quite in full swing yet, but time is already running out for a program local doctors say could make a difference in your child’s brain development and learning at school. 
3 months ago
US Magnesium plant...
Mike Anderson

Study seeks causes for air pollution in Great Salt Lake area

A new study is taking a close look at air pollution around the Wasatch Front, and chemicals found in The Great Salt Lake.
3 months ago
(Chopper 5)...
Lauren Steinbrecher

Air pollution could harm child brain development, study shows

Researchers are revealing in a new study that air pollution has negative impacts on children's brains.
3 months ago
Inversion over Salt Lake City...
Katija Stjepovic and Cary Schwanitz, KSL TV

Utah kicks off it’s annual ‘Clear the Air’ challenge

Utah’s 14th annual Clear the Air challenge is just around the corner with the goal of improving our air by traveling smarter, specifically during the month of July.
3 months ago
The Salt Lake Valley covered in smoky air. (KSLTV)...
Jed Boal

Smoky air wafts into Utah from Canadian wildfires

Utah got a hefty dose of smoky air in the moderately unhealthy range from wildfires burning in Canada, but luckily it shouldn't be here much longer.
4 months ago
A layer of inversion keeps the skies grey over Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 26. A small system ...
Jen Christensen

‘Equal opportunity to be healthy’: Stricter air pollution standards would benefit some populations more than others, study says

Everyone benefits when there is less air pollution, but it pays off more for older communities with high poverty rates and those where larger populations of Black people live, regardless of income, a new study finds.
6 months ago
Exibit shows Utah's air was a concern as far back as the 1880s....
Jed Boal

Exhibit: Concerns about Utah’s air quality go back to Brigham Young

An online exhibit details Utah’s unique air pollution problem going back to the 1880s when Utahns referred to the winter pollution as “smoke evil” or the “smoke nuisance”. 
6 months ago
Chess and air pollution...
Katija Stjepovic

Can air quality impact the decisions a chess player makes?

The game of chess is based on strategic decision-making.
7 months ago
Great Salt Lake shoreline...
Kevin Eubank

Saving the Great Salt Lake is not going to be a quick fix

Getting the Great Salt Lake back to a comfortable water level is going to take a lot of precipitation and work.
7 months ago
The US Magnesium Rowley Plant in Tooele County is pictured on June 18, 2021. A recent study found t...
Carter Williams

Bill to study halogen emissions, inspired by poor air quality report, clears first legislative hurdle

A bill that sets up a study of halogen emissions, such as bromine and chlorine, cleared its first legislative test Wednesday.
7 months ago
Chopper 5 shows the U.S. Magnesium refinery in Tooele Co....
Mike Anderson

USU researchers search for source of Wasatch Front air pollution

Researchers are taking a close look at some major contributors to our air pollution, and how to combat the problem better.
8 months ago
Inversion over Salt Lake City...
Jed Boal

UTA free fare year proposed to improve Utah’s air quality

The bipartisan Utah Legislative Clean Air Caucus unveiled several bills and appropriations Tuesday aimed at improving air quality in Utah.  
8 months ago
Randy Martin working on a reading station in West Valley City. (KSL-TV's Mike Anderson)...
Mike Anderson

Utah air quality is continuing to get worse, says USU professor

A Utah State University professor says that Utahns are breathing some of the worst air we've seen in over a decade.
8 months ago
(Chopper 5)...
Ayanna Likens

How does Utah’s air quality compare to other states?

Air quality seems to be top of mind for most Utahns. But how does it compare to other states?
8 months ago
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall speaking to KSL-TV about what the city has done in 2022. (KSL-...
Jed Boal

SLC Mayor Erin Mendenhall grades 2022 city goals and accomplishments

In a one-on-one interview, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said the city has substantially reduced violent crime since its peak in 2021.
8 months ago
FILE...
Brooke Williams

UTA to waive fares, increase services during NBA All-Star week

UTA is offering free public transportation to all for ten days in February surrounding the NBA All-Star Week hosted by the Utah Jazz.
9 months ago
The Aranet4 is a portable device that measures air quality factors on the go. (Mike Anderson, KSL T...
Mike Anderson and Brooke Williams, KSL TV

Indoor air quality can impact risk of viral transmission

The Aranet4 measures carbon-dioxide, aerosol-scientists use this data to determine the risk for transmission.
10 months ago
A temperature inversion traps and fills Utah valley with thick smog as seen from Traverse Mountain ...
Brooke Williams

Up to $4,300 offered for Utahns to replace wood stove, fireplace heating

Wood stove and fireplace conversion project opens registration soon for eligible residents to receive financial compensation to upgrade their home heating systems.
11 months ago
An image of the inversion from the east bench of Salt Lake County. (Jed Boal/KSL TV)...
Cary Schwanitz

Air-clearing restrictions on fireplaces begin next week

It’s that time of year again when an unhealthy inversion can leave a cloud of pollution hanging over the Wasatch Front.
11 months ago
Rocky Mountain Power hosted an all-electric vehicle auto show Tuesday. (KSL TV)...
Jed Boal

‘We’re right at that spot where it’s about to take off’: This might be the time for EVs

There’s a lot of excitement surrounding electric vehicles these days, and more of them on Utah roads. Rocky Mountain Power hosted an electric vehicle car show Tuesday to show off the latest options.
1 year ago
A school classroom with chairs and desks...
Brooke Williams

Project to provide air purifiers in Utah K-12 classrooms

Cleaner air improves student performance, decreases COVID transmission and school absenteeism. New project provides air purifiers for classrooms in Utah.
1 year ago

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