Denver Violates

The Denver metro area is under siege by unrelenting smog.

After 9 straight days of ozone alerts, Denver officially violated federal ozone standards for our air yesterday. Ozone levels peaked at 88 parts per billion at the Rocky Flats monitoring station, which put us over the edge.

A violation of federal ozone standards--which are in place to protect our health--occurs when the three year average of the fourth highest maximum values reach 85 parts per billion or higher. Yesterday's high readings put the three year average squarely at 85.

What does this all mean? In the papers tomorrow, we'll read about the potential for federal sanctions, stronger clean air rules, and bureaucrats talking about processes and progress. This is all beside the point.

The real meaning behind all this is that the Denver metro area is in the midst of a serious health crisis. Without quick action to cut smog forming pollution from coal burning power plants, cars, oil and gas developments, and other sources, we stand to put our children and families at even greater risk. Ozone is an extremely harmful air pollutant; it sends people to hospitals for asthma attacks and even causes premature death.

The state of Colorado earlier stated it would take action to bring the Denver metro area into compliance with federal ozone standards if we violated. Although we wish the state would have acted earlier, there's no time like the present to get on it. We hope the Colorado Department of Health and Environment gets on the ball here.

One more thing. We bet you that in the news, a spokesperson with the Regional Air Quality Council or the state of Colorado laments the "progress" we have made toward cleaner air in the Denver metro area. Let's get real here.

Although we've made progress toward cleaning up smog in the Denver metro area, this progress doesn't amount to much when we're still violating health standards for our air. Colorado needs to quit resting on its laurels for past air quality achievements and start dealing with the present and future and taking charge of protecting public health.

The state can start by trying to do something now to keep us from violating ozone standards for the rest of the summer. Remember, we've just violated at the Rocky Flats monitor. What if we violate at others? And what if the violation at Rocky Flats gets even worse? The summer ozone season is not over yet.

What can be done in the short-term? Sadly, we have no formal contingency measures in place, but we can get creative here. Let's start by requiring Xcel Energy to cut back its coal burning whenever an ozone alert is issued.

As citizens, we're told to refuel in the evening, avoid driving, and make sure our gas caps are tight. Well, why can't industry be told to stop spewing out ozone forming pollution whenever an ozone alert is issued?

Whatever happens, citizens aren't going to let history repeat itself this time around. With our health at stake, clean air will not be sacrificed anymore in the Denver metro area.