SWITCH: Mobile | ePaper | Subscribe

Homes Rentals Jobs Autos Contests

Environmental Protection Agency

State awaits Hill's response to report on mercury spill

Last updated Thursday, March 22, 2012 - 10:36pm

HILL AIR FORCE BASE — Even though a mercury spill went unreported and was improperly cleaned up, with the remaining liquid stored improperly, the public was not in danger, officials say.

Scott Anderson, director of Utah’s Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste, said that after his department conducted compliance inspections at Hill Air Force Base in September and October, it was clear the mercury posed no threat to those on base, nor to residents nearby.

Environment, Crime, Fine, HAFB, Hazmat, Hill Air Force Base, Investigation, Mercury, Public Safety, State Division of Environmental Quality, Toxic spill, Toxic substance, Utah, Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Whistleblower, Environmental concerns, Environmental Protection Agency Read more Comments

More than vehicles, oil refineries pollute Utah's air; new website offers info

Loretta Park Standard-Examiner

Last updated Monday, March 12, 2012 - 7:45pm

Utahns can now learn what — other than cars — causes the winter pollution that so concerns the Division of Air Quality.

Snowblowers, domestic animals, farm machinery, graphic art chemicals and deep-frying equipment also add to the pollutants in the air, according to a DAQ report released Monday.

Air Pollution, Air Quality, Asthma, Bicycling, Child safety, Children, Davis County Health Department, Elderly, Emissions, Farming, Health, Mass transit, Motor Vehicles, Oil industry, Oil refinery, Pollution, Refineries, Refinery, Senior Citizens, Seniors, Utah, Weber-Morgan Health Department, Winter, Environmental Protection Agency Read more Comments

New air quality index created

Jamie Lampros Standard-Examiner

Last updated Sunday, February 12, 2012 - 11:59pm

OGDEN — Green, yellow, orange, red, purple and maroon.

Air Quality, Pollution, Utah, Weber-Morgan Health Department, Environmental Protection Agency Read more Comments

Supreme Court holds hearing over Idaho couple's threats from EPA

David G. Savage McClatchy Newspapers

Last updated Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 12:20am

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court gave a sympathetic hearing Monday to an Idaho couple who were threatened with fines of up to $75,000 a day from the Environmental Protection Agency for starting to build a home near a pristine mountain lake.

Idaho, Wetlands, Environmental Protection Agency Read more Comments

$This May 22, 2009 picture shows John Fenton, a farmer who lives near Pavillion in central Wyoming, near a tank used in natural gas extraction, in background. Fenton and some of his neighbors blame hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” a common technique used in drilling new oil and gas wells, for fouling their well water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday Dec. 8, 2011 in Wyoming, for the first time that fracking may be to blame for causing groundwater pollution. The EPA also emphasized that the findings are specific to the Pavillion area. The agency said the fracking that occurred in Pavillion differed from fracking methods used elsewhere in regions with different geological characteristics. (AP Photo/Bob Moen, File)$

Federal agency cancels water delivery to Pa. town

Michael Rubinkam The Associated Press

Last updated Saturday, January 7, 2012 - 5:44pm

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has abruptly changed its mind about delivering fresh water to residents of a northeastern Pennsylvania village where residential wells were tainted from natural gas drilling operations.

Natural gas, Water, Environmental Protection Agency, National Read more Comments

Courtesy photo
Weber State University’s Receiving and Distribution Services Building earned top honors in the warehouse category of the Environmental Protection’s Agency’s 2011 Energy Star National Building Competition.

WSU building takes top honors in warehouse competition

Nancy Van Valkenburg Standard-Examiner

Last updated Saturday, November 5, 2011 - 10:02pm

OGDEN -- It's been a big week for Weber State University's Receiving and Distribution Services Building.

Education, Awards, Utah, Weber State University, Environmental Protection Agency Read more Comments

Officials plan ahead to keep state's ozone pollutant levels down

Mitch Shaw Standard-Examiner

Last updated Wednesday, September 28, 2011 - 10:39pm

CLEARFIELD -- State planners are hoping to get ahead of the curve when it comes to clean air in Utah.

As the population increases, automobiles on state and local roads will do the same. More people and more cars means it will be more difficult to meet future air-quality standards in the state.

Kip Billings, an engineer with the Wasatch Front Regional Council, said council planners are developing ideas to meet tougher standards, particularly ozone standards, in the future.

Air Pollution, Air Quality, Ozone, Utah, Wasatch Front Regional Council, Environmental Protection Agency Read more Comments

AP file photo
This file photo taken July 2005 shows fireworks exploding during the “Freedom Blast” Fourth of July festivities in Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. State officials are asking the EPA to exempt cities from penalties for excessive pollution caused by fireworks during the Fourth of July.

Bad-air spike on July 4 an 'exceptional event'?

Scott Schwebke Standard-Examiner

Last updated Tuesday, September 20, 2011 - 10:31am

OGDEN -- The location of a state-operated air-monitoring station could have a bearing on readings that detected high levels of fine-particulate pollution from Fourth of July fireworks, says an Ogden fire official.

The monitoring station is near Jefferson Park, 3302 Grant Ave., which is a popular place for people to shoot off fireworks, city Fire Marshal Matt Schwenk said Monday.

Air Pollution, Air Quality, Fireworks, Utah, Environmental Protection Agency, Featured, Fourth of July Read more Comments

Dirty air addressed at Davis County meeting

Bryon Saxton Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau

Last updated Friday, May 27, 2011 - 9:37pm

CLEARFIELD -- The impact on the heart and lungs of inhaling dirty air was one of the concerns raised Thursday at a special meeting of representatives from the Davis County Health Board, Davis County Commission and State Department of Air Quality.

Because the Salt Lake Valley is bowl-shaped and traps haze, that should be a consideration in having to meet even tougher federal emissions standards, Davis officials said.

"We want to do what is right," said Davis County Commissioner Louenda Downs.

Environment, Air Pollution, Air Quality, Davis County Board of Health, Davis County Commission, News, Pollution, Utah, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Read more Comments

(TAMI MARTINEZ/Standard-Examiner) A new Pew Environment Group report says about 950 claims have reportedly been made within five miles of the boundaries of Arches (seen here) and Canyonlands national parks in Utah, nearly all since 2005.

Report: Mining claims could mar national park and wilderness area borders -- including in Utah

Los Angeles Times, Neela Banerjee

Last updated Thursday, April 14, 2011 - 11:34pm

WASHINGTON -- Mining claims threaten to mar the borders of 10 iconic national parks and wilderness areas, particularly the Grand Canyon, where uranium claims have increased 2,000 percent since 2004, according to a new report by the Pew Environment Group.

Environment, Congress, Grand Canyon, Mining, National Parks, Utah, Wilderness, Environmental concerns, Environmental Protection Agency, Environmentalists, Featured Read more Comments

Another employee of Bugman indicted for improper pesticide use

Loretta Park, Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau

Last updated Wednesday, April 13, 2011 - 11:06pm

SALT LAKE CITY -- Another employee of Bugman Pest and Lawn of Bountiful has been indicted by a federal grand jury.

Raymond Wilson, 21, the son of the company's owner, is charged with five misdemeanor violations of federal law for the use of pesticide at homes in Salt Lake City, Sandy and Park City.

Business, Crime, Bugman Pest and Lawn, Pesticide, Utah, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Read more Comments