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.