The History of Air Quality in Utah: A Narrative Review

Mitchell, Logan E.; Zajchowski, Chris A. B.

doi:10.3390/su14159653

i

The History of Air Quality in Utah: A Narrative Review

2022
By Mitchell, Logan E. ; Zajchowski, Chris A. B.

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Journal Title:

Sustainability
Personal Author:

Mitchell, Logan E. ; Zajchowski, Chris A. B.
NOAA Program & Office:

OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research)
Description:

Utah has a rich history related to air pollution; however, it is not widely known or documented. This is despite air quality being a top issue of public concern for the state’s urban residents and acute episodes that feature some of the world’s worst short-term particulate matter exposure. As we discuss in this narrative review, the relationship between air pollution and the state’s residents has changed over time, as fuel sources shifted from wood to coal to petroleum and natural gas. Air pollution rose in prominence as a public issue in the 1880s as Utah’s urban areas grew. Since then, scientific advances have increased the understanding of air quality impacts on human health, groups of concerned citizens worked to raise public awareness, policy makers enacted legislation to improve air quality, and courts upheld rights to clean air. Utah’s air quality future holds challenges and opportunities and can serve as useful case for other urbanizing regions struggling with air quality concerns. Population growth and changing climate will exacerbate current air quality trends, but economically viable clean energy technologies can be deployed to reduce air pollution, bringing substantial public health and economic benefits to the state’s residents and other settings with similar public health concerns.
Keywords:

Building And Construction Geography, Planning And Development Management, Monitoring, Policy And Law Renewable Energy, Sustainability And The Environment Building And Construction Geography, Planning And Development Management, Monitoring, Policy And Law Renewable Energy, Sustainability And The Environment Building And Construction Geography, Planning And Development Management, Monitoring, Policy And Law
Source:

Sustainability, 14(15), 9653
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159653
ISSN:

2071-1050
Format:

PDF
Publisher:

MDPI AG
Document Type:

Journal Article
Funding:

Grant no. NA19OAR4310078
License:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Rights Information:

CC BY
Compliance:

Library
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha256:0232135de901894213feab14dfd82f89ef0e7ac5641dc53257d668d1386cbe7c
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/58823/noaa_58823_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 12.75 MB ]

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