Speak Out: We're Not Out of the Fog Yet

Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action and the American Lung Association of Colorado spoke out today on Denver's recent spat of dangerous particulate pollution.

The op-ed, published in the Denver Post, again expressed the need for the state of Colorado to adopt safeguards to protect us from fine particle pollution. As we wrote earlier, although fine particle health standards were adopted nearly 10 years ago, the state of Colorado has yet to adopt a plan to keep this pollution in check. The consequences are not hard to see, or smell for that matter.

The comments in today's Denver Post could not have come at a better time. Although Denver's skies have been relatively clear since the nine day stretch of dangerous pollution between February 7 and 15, today's fine particle pollution levels have climbed again.

As of 8:00 P.M., monitors in Boulder and Denver showed fine particle pollution to be on the threshold of exceeding health standards, reaching 32 and 31 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively. Although the health standard of 35 micrograms per cubic meter was not exceeded, it's disturbing that fine particle pollution is still threatening our health.

Unfortunately, we're not out of the fog when it comes to fine particle pollution. I think we speak for most when we say the sooner the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division gets safeguards in place to keep this pollution in check, the better off we'll all be.

Dirty Air Continues Today

Although things have gone on for nine days, this is anything but normal. Denver's fine particle pollution again exceeded health standards today, peaking at 41 micrograms/cubic meter. The monitor at Chatfield had a reading of 40 micrograms/cubic meter. Health standards over a 24-hour period are set at 35 micrograms/cubic meter.

Despite the dangerously unhealthy pollution, the state Department of Public Health and Environment issued a Blue advisory today. A Blue advisory means that air is "good." Maybe it's just us, but we have a hard time understanding how our air could be "good," when the data tells us it's dangerous.

In a presentation before Colorado's Air Quality Control Commission today, the Department of Public Health and Environment said that the pollution was gone, and that people can now breathe easier. This is unfortunate, but at least shows that the state is not doing it's job when it comes to informing citizens and acting to protect our health.

In the meantime, we still lack the safeguards needed to keep fine particle pollution in check. One would think that nine days straight of unhealthy air pollution would be enough to get these safeguards in place. We'll see if this is the case.

Pollution Continues Even Today, Gets Peoples' Attention

For the eight day straight, Denver exceeded federal health standards for fine particle pollution. It seems like this pollution, which is extremely dangerous, is simply unrelenting.

That's probably why it's been getting so much attention. The Rocky Mountain News reported on the pollution yesterday and today, noting the unprecedented nature of the pollution and the serious health hazards. Kudos to Denver dirtbagger for riding his bike to work through all this, we all need to be taking precautions when things get so bad.

Conspicuously absent however, is the voice of the Colorado Department of Public Health on all of this.

Even though air pollution levels today continue to rise to unhealthy levels, the Department has yet to really get the word out to people that they should be taking extra precautions. Kids should not be playing outside in this air, but the state has yet to issue a statement with this advice. Although air pollution alerts are being issued, these alerts really don't express the severity of the health risks, or the need for people to really take action this time around.

I suppose things could be worse. We could be dealing with Tom Tancredo's cigar smoke. Fortunately, Denver's air pollution may be easier to overcome than his foul emissions.

Air Pollution Crisis Could Have Been Prevented

Dangerous air pollution has left people in the Denver metro region gasping for the last five days and Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action, a Denver-based clean air group, is calling on the state to finally adopt safeguards to keep fine particle pollution in check.

Fine particle pollution is microscopic, less than 2.5 microns in diameter, or 1/30th the width of a human hair. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, fine particle pollution is linked to thousands of premature deaths every year. Recent studies have linked fine particle pollution to heart disease, lung disease, and poor lung function among children.

Despite the health threats, the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division has yet to adopt federally required safeguards to keep fine particle pollution in check. The result: for the last five days, people in the Denver metro region have suffered the worst fine particle pollution ever recorded.

Beginning last Wednesday, fine particle pollution levels have violated federal health standards at Chatfield Reservoir, downtown Denver, National Jewish Hospital, and Boulder. Federal health standards limit fine particle pollution to no more than 35 micrograms per cubic meter, based on hourly measurements averaged over a 24-hour period. Pollution levels reached 74 micrograms per cubic meter in downtown Denver last Friday.

24-hour fine particle pollution readings for the last five days, in micrograms/cubic meter. Health standard violations are shaded red.

Monitor Location	Feb. 7	Feb. 8	Feb. 9	Feb. 10	Feb. 11
Downtown Denver (2105 Broadway)	43	70	74	64	67
Chatfield Reservoir	33	60	57	41	35
National Jewish (14th and Albion)	33	62	64	46	46
Boulder (2120 Marine St.)	26	34	24	39	41

The burning of fossil fuels is the primary source of fine particle pollution in the Denver metro region. Smokestacks and tailpipes not only release microscopic soot, but gases that condense into acidic droplets.

Health standards for soot pollution were originally established in 1997 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. At that time, pollution was limited to no more than 65 micrograms per cubic meter over a 24-hour period. Last fall, health standards were tightened and pollution is now limited to no more than 35 micrograms per cubic meter over a 24-hour period. Pollution has been so bad during the last five days, that even the old health standard of 65 was violated.

Under the federal Clean Air Act, the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division was required to adopt safeguards to ensure that fine particle pollution levels do not exceed health standards by 2000. Since that time, no safeguards have been adopted. And now that fine particle pollution standards have been tightened, the lack of safeguards has left the Denver metro region more vulnerable than ever.

Currently, Colorado regulations do not limit fine particle pollution from any source of air pollution. Coal burning power plants in the metro region, for example, are not required to limit their fine particle pollution. The state also has yet to require vehicles, including diesel trucks and machinery, to limit fine particle pollution.

The state of colorado must move quickly to adopt safeguards to keep fine particle pollution in check. We cannot afford to have one more day, let alone five, of such unhealthy air pollution.

Four Days Straight

Denver's skyline this morning was marred by dangerous fine particle pollution for the fourth day straight.

For four straight days now, Denver has been suffering dangerously unhealthy fine particle pollution. The Rocky Mountain News finally reported on this crisis, today, noting that this is the first time Denver has ever had to struggle through such horrendous pollution. Today was the fourth day in a row that a red alert was issued because of unhealthy pollution.

Health standards limit fine particle pollution to no more than 35 micrograms/cubic meter over a 24-hour period. Yesterday, fine particle pollution levels reached 74 micrograms per cubic meter in downtown Denver, the highest levels ever recorded. Dangerous pollution was also reported at National Jewish (Colfax and Colorado) and at Chatfield Reservoir south of Denver.

People need to be extremely careful today. Please, don't drive unless you absolutely have to and please don't take your kids outside to play.

A lot of people have been asking what is causing this terrible pollution. While the weather is helping make it happen, the pollution is coming from smokestacks, tailpipes, and all the dirt and dust that's still on our roads from over a month of sanding and salting.

Local governments here are required to sweep the streets within three to four days after sanding. In many parts of the Denver metro region, it's been weeks since any sweeping has taken place. Unfortunately, this serious oversight has put peoples' health throughout the region at risk.

It's also unfortunate that, despite our red alert days, large industrial sources of air pollution, like coal burning power plant, have not been required to make any cuts in their pollution to keep our air clean. While people are being asked by the state not to drive, the state is not asking Xcel Energy to burn less coal.

Four days straight of dangerous air pollution should be a wake up call for all of us.

Hold Your Breath Today

Yesterday's pollution readings are in and Denver's fine particle pollution exceeded health standards yet again.

This time, particulate pollution levels at three monitors exceeded the current health standard of 35 micrograms per cubic meter. Here's the readings (in micrograms per cubic meter):

• Downtown Denver: 70
• Chatfield Reservoir: 60
• National Jewish Hospital: 62

Check out yesterday's post for more information on fine particle pollution.

Today, the state issued a red alert because of unhealthy fine particle pollution. A red alert means that "either current air quality is poor or conditions are expected to worsen later in the day or the next day" and that "Active children and adults and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma should limit prolonged outdoor exertion."

Hopefully things will clear up. In the meantime, there's clearly a need for stronger clean air rules in Denver.

And Then There's Today

Fine Particle Haze in Denver This Afternoon.

As if yesterday's fine particle pollution wasn't bad enough, it looks like Denver's on track to again exceed health standards today.

As of 6 P.M., the average fine particle pollution, in micrograms per cubic meter was 57 in downtown Denver, 59 at Chatfield Reservoir, and 49 at National Jewish (at Colfax and Colorado). To protect our health, federal standards require fine particle pollution to be limited to no more than 35 micrograms per cubic meter over a 24-hour period.

It looks like we need to be taking steps not just to clear the air of smog, but fine particle pollution here in Denver.

Particulate Pollution Posing Problems

Ozone is not causing problems in Denver this winter, instead it's the particulate pollution.

Yesterday, fine particle pollution exceeded federal health standards in downtown Denver. Fine particles are less than 2.5 microns in diameter. That's 1/28 the size of a human hair. They're spewed into the air by smokestacks and tailpipes.

Fine particle pollution is linked to premature death, poor lung function among children, and heart disease.

Fine particle levels in Denver averaged 43 micrograms per cubic meter yesterday. Federal health standards are set at 35 micrograms per cubic meter over a 24-hour period.

While Denver's smog pollution continues to be the greatest health threat to people living in the metro region, particulate pollution is proving to be yet another danger to clean air.

Oil and Gas: Let Them Breathe Air Pollution

Colorado's oil and gas industry is at it again, voicing opposition to stronger clean air safeguards and the protection of our health.

Earlirer this week, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that current health standards for ozone, or smog, need to be strengthened. The reason? Health scientists are finding that people, particularly children and those with asthma and other respiratory ailments, are harmed by ozone pollution even at levels below current health standards.

We all agree that smog standards need to be strengthened for our health. But what's industry's biggest concern? That "tightening the standard will bring unacceptably high costs."

In commenting on what the new standards could mean for the Denver metro area, Greg Schnacke with the oil and gas industry commented that, "This whole area would be back at square one, and every industry would be on the table (for emission cuts)."

Well, we disagree. New, stronger smog standards wil mean cleaner air here in Denver, healthier children, and happier families. Sure, it will take further reductions in air pollution. We hope that the oil and gas industry will be the first to jump on the table to cut their emissions.

New smog standards will give us an opportunity to make things better here in Denver. While we're not the oil and gas industry, we can't understand how this could be bad, even for industry.