Utah Ranks 7th Worst in Air Quality

In a report from the EPA, headed by Utah's past governor Mike Leavitt, Utah ranks 7th worst in air quality. The excuse is that the data is now old for at least Utah Valley since Geneva Steel no longer pollutes so the valley air quality has gone up significantly. Hmmm, now there is a question begging to be asked...

A friend once told me that the inversion we get in Salt Lake Valley is just water evaporating from the lake. In his defense, he did live for a stint some 30 years plus ago as a kid at the west edge of rural Tooele Valley where there is considerable haze from the lake.

Not so for Salt Lake or Utah Valley. Surrounded by mountains, pollution is not able to escape a bubble over the valley, which means that we stew in our own juices for weeks at time during the Winter. When one breathes, the body knows that the air is bad -- eyes itch, throat burns, and breathing is difficult. It may be beautiful clear blue skies above but the sun is blocked out in a brown soup.