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It's been a busy couple of weeks for those of us working to keep people safe from smog in the Denver metro area. Here's some highlights:

• On November 20th, the EPA officially declared the Denver metro area to be in violation of federal health standards for ozone. The declaration really kicks off clean up efforts.
• The declaration follows on the heels of Governor Bill Ritter's call last July for the Regional Air Quality Council to immediately develop an ozone reduction plan for 2008 and beyond.
• Despite that call, the Regional Air Quality Council has yet to develop an ozone reduction plan for 2008 and beyond.
• That footdragging prompted a December 4th editorial from the Denver Post simultaneously stating that the Regional Air Quality Council "must move on ozone solutions" and bizarrely praising the Council for acting "wisely" so far. Although it's been nearly five months since Governor Ritter called on the Regional Air Quality Council to do something, they haven't yet. Is this really wise?
• In the meantime, a coalition of local governments and environmental groups, including Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action, have put together a comprehensive set of recommendations for reducing ozone in the Denver metro area. The plan, called "The Path Forward," calls for pollution reductions from coal burning power plants, clean cars, cleaner fuels, expanded transit, pollution cuts from oil and gas drilling, and other strategies. The plan promises to set the tone as regulators decide how to reduce ozone and keep the Denver metro area safe from smog.

At the moment though, ozone is the least of the Denver metro area's worries. Snow, ice, and, sadly, random shootings are weighing heavily on most minds. It's shaping up to be a hard winter.