tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294038512011-04-21T13:39:26.858-07:00Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action is working to reduce ozone pollution, also known as smog, in the Denver metro area. We are the only group dedicated to protecting clean air for healthy children and healthy communities in Colorado and the surrounding region, and are fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are tax deductible. Online at www.ourcleanair.org.Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.comBlogger1751100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-64966733238714408782008-02-03T20:57:00.000-08:002008-02-03T20:59:02.937-08:00

Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action is consolidating all its blogging on the Our Clean Air blog. Keep tabs for up-to-date information on Denver's air quality status, as well as news and updates on clean air issues throughout the Rocky Mountain region. All our old Denver Ozone posts will continue to be here, but be sure to update your bookmarks for future reference. Thanks everyone!

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-18681693214337040702008-01-06T14:32:00.000-08:002008-01-06T15:27:46.562-08:00

It's six months before the start of the 2008 ozone season and so far, no short-term strategy for reducing ozone has been developed, let alone adopted in time to keep people safe in the Denver metro area.And, as a recent article in the Rocky Mountain News reports, time is now the greatest hurdle to reducing ozone in 2008.That's a shame, too. It's been over five months since Governor Ritter

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-39449801639483114512007-12-28T17:48:00.000-08:002007-12-29T19:26:12.164-08:00

Okay, we've really harped on the fact that Denver has some serious air pollution problems. That said, we have to say that Denver's an amazing place to live. Why is that? Well, here's just a few reasons that the Mile High City is a great place to call home:It has a City Council that's looking out for clean air;It has a smart and thoughtful Mayor who, despite the fact that he hires high-powered

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-19314287761110825512007-12-23T10:19:00.000-08:002007-12-23T11:36:53.529-08:00

Denver Post columnist Susan Greene today points the finger at a problem we all know exists, but for some reason decide to live with it. It's the problem of Denver's stinky, wintertime air.I should clarify, though. Many of us would rather not deal with the smell. A dogfood factory, rendering plants, feedlots, refineries--I think most of us in Denver would be ecstatic to not have to wake up with

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-22400742520860598692007-12-22T14:16:00.000-08:002007-12-22T17:00:34.646-08:00

NOx is what it sounds like, noxious gases made of nitrogen and oxygen that are released during fossil fuel combustion. NOx is short for nitrogen oxides, which includes a bunch of different gases, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which can damage your throat and lungs, and nitrous oxide (N2O), also known as laughing gas, which is a potent greenhouse gas. NOx comes from smokestacks and

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-4008540523391673042007-12-15T17:26:00.000-08:002007-12-16T09:32:32.134-08:00

Air pollution got so bad in the Denver metro area last week that we exceeded federal health standards.On both Wednesday and Thursday, particulate pollution climbed to levels not seen since last February. These particulates aren't made of dust and dirt. They're acid droplets that form when pollution from smokestacks and tailpipes condense.These particulates are less than 2.5 microns in diameter,

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-53104996854415810452007-12-09T20:15:00.000-08:002007-12-09T20:39:42.977-08:00

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

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-52867614994720094092007-11-28T07:56:00.000-08:002007-11-28T08:34:55.739-08:00

The Denver metro area all the way north to Greeley and Fort Collins is officially in violation of federal health standards for ozone and reality is starting to set in, at least in Greeley.The City Council there voiced concern that being designated a "dirty air" area could hurt economic development.The sad reality is that yes, it could. Polluting businesses that may want to locate in and around

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-82636574502222969502007-11-22T18:32:00.000-08:002007-11-22T18:44:01.761-08:00

Here's some recent good news for clean air and public health in the Denver metro area. Xcel officially announced it intends to close down the coal-fired Arapahoe power plant.The Arapahoe power plant, located in south Denver, releases over 2,500 tons of nitrogen oxides annually, which react with sunlight to form ozone. That's over 10% of all the smog forming pollution released by coal burning

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-6512281465521504422007-11-15T06:13:00.000-08:002007-11-15T06:29:30.573-08:00

The Rocky Mountain News gave us some sage advice to reduce ozone yesterday: target polluters.We couldn't agree more, we need to target polluters to reduce ozone. Polluters like coal burning power plants, oil and gas drilling, cement plants, and many more all need to do their part to cut ozone forming pollution here in the Denver metro area. Thankfully, the Rocky Mountain News seems to support

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-50683738570092200762007-11-04T11:07:00.000-08:002007-11-04T12:54:05.907-08:00

UPDATE: Environmental, local government coalition presents call for short-term ozone reductions in Denver metro area.We reported on the good news and bad news of Denver's ozone pollution last week. Sad to say, the bad news seems to be continuing.Last Thursday, the Regional Air Quality Council was set to adopt recommendations for reducing harmful ozone pollution in the Denver metro area in time

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-22544017263275028682007-11-04T10:19:00.000-08:002007-12-01T19:50:09.743-08:00

Winter air pollution advisories for the Denver metro area started November 1st. No sooner did the Department of Public Health and Environment make this announcement that a Red Pollution Advisory was called.A Red Pollution Advisory means that either current air quality is poor or conditions are expected to worsen later in the day or the next day. Red advisories trigger mandatory residential

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-50295121994166721022007-10-29T07:05:00.000-07:002007-10-29T08:10:52.995-07:00

The good news is that the 2007 Summer of Ozone is behind us and here in the Denver metro area, things are cool and clear for the most part. That's because ozone usually doesn't climb to unhealthy levels in the fall or winter. Lately, ozone concentrations have been less than half of where the federal health standards are set, a welcome sign of relief.The bad news is that the summer of 2008 is

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-66713349909730892032007-10-16T10:37:00.000-07:002007-10-17T11:34:21.590-07:00

With a sweep of the National League Championship Series, their first-ever trip to the World Series, and arguably one of the best team of players in the country right now, the Colorado Rockies have to be the biggest breath of fresh air in the Denver metro area right now.But the biggest chance for fresh air in the Denver metro area will come from reducing ground-level ozone pollution, also known as

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-83378817277106281302007-10-08T15:57:00.000-07:002007-10-08T16:18:15.215-07:00

The summer's long over, but we haven't had a chance to really take a look at how bad our ozone pollution was. As the Denver metro area prepares to be designated a "nonattainment" area, or to be in violation of federal health standards for ozone, let's take a look at what pushed us over the edge.Among all the 13 ozone monitors in the Denver metro area, ozone health standards were exceeded 50 times

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-33251834178380314832007-09-25T06:31:00.000-07:002007-09-25T07:15:31.286-07:00

The Denver City Council is leading the charge.In a Proclamation passed unanimously last night, the Denver City Council stated its support of the "the efforts of state and regional air quality planners to immediately develop a plan to reduce ground-level ozone and fully safeguard public health in the Denver metropolitan region."This proclamation is notable for two reasons. First, it's really the

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-26826410378914544322007-09-20T08:00:00.000-07:002007-09-20T09:00:27.953-07:00

Congresswoman Diana DeGette yesterday called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to give Denver and the west a voice on the agency's proposed ozone standards.In a letter to the Administrator of the EPA, Representative DeGette called on the agency to hold a public hearing in Denver on the proposed ozone standards. So far, the EPA has held public hearings only in Los Angeles, Chicago,

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-85622977364333041872007-09-16T12:30:00.000-07:002007-09-16T14:18:17.175-07:00

We'll spare you the commentary and just say this: The Suncor oil refinery, located six miles northeast of downtown Denver, has been bad. Take a look:On July 27th, the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division issued a Compliance Advisory to Suncor because of over 70 violations of air quality laws at the refinery between 2005 and 2007. A Compliance Advisory is basically a notice that Suncor broke

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-91299989546115663082007-09-13T19:52:00.000-07:002007-09-18T15:03:04.767-07:00

As the ozone alert season officially ends, efforts to cut ozone pollution in the Denver metro area are getting underway.The effort is getting a kick-off on October 3rd, with the first ozone stakeholder meeting scheduled in Thornton.We know, the words "stakeholder meeting" are enough to make many of us doze off, but these meetings are going to be more than idle chatter. Anyone who needs clean air,

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-25505260515720983362007-09-09T09:37:00.000-07:002007-09-09T10:38:29.032-07:00

The Regional Air Quality Council met last Thursday, continuing its efforts to develop an ozone reduction plan for the Denver metro area. The outcome was a bit mixed.On the one hand, a list of potential ozone reduction strategies was presented. The list sheds light for the first time on what the state of Colorado is considering, which is a major milestone. For over two months now, the state has

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-89656302212908010162007-09-06T08:05:00.000-07:002007-09-06T08:43:15.334-07:00

Asthma is hard. Hard on kids, hard on parents, and hard on teachers. Nationwide, children between the ages of 5 and 17 missed 12.8 million school days in 2003 because of asthma according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.It's no wonder then, that Denver Public Schools is embarking upon an effort to screen students for asthma. It's estimated that over 5,000 kids in DPS have

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-37706435117013356152007-09-01T10:33:00.000-07:002007-09-01T10:56:59.046-07:00

After last weekend's surprisingly high and unhealthy ozone levels, the state has announced it's extending its ozone forecasts into this Labor Day weekend.It's good news for our health. Last weekend, ozone skyrocketed, yet no health alerts were issued. For many, ozone alerts are an important part of keeping safe. People with asthma, for example, should probably stay inside during high ozone days

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-23861820820926311152007-08-27T05:48:00.000-07:002007-08-27T06:18:15.887-07:00

We reported that ozone levels skyrocketed in the Denver metro area on Saturday night. That's not all.The Denver metro area has already violated federal health standards for ozone in our air. But because of Saturday's high ozone, we now have an even worse violation on our hands.Under the federal standards, a violation of ozone standards occurs whenever the three year average of the 4th highest

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-57035122923007929842007-08-26T09:49:00.000-07:002007-08-26T09:51:01.317-07:00

Listen to an August 11 Colorado Public Radio interview with Callie Videtich, the Air and Radiation Program Director for the Regional Office of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-50565305105187358552007-08-25T19:04:00.000-07:002007-08-25T21:57:35.458-07:00

It's happened again.We reported last week that an ozone alert was skipped, even though pollution levels here in the Denver metro area rose above federal health standards. Tonight, it looks like deja vu--only worse.No ozone alert was issued today, so officially, everything is fine. That's not what the monitors are saying, though. As of 6:00 P.M. tonight, ground-level ozone concentrations have

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-12297795782275939782007-08-21T07:17:00.000-07:002007-08-21T08:47:27.135-07:00

Not much is happening as far as Denver's ozone goes and we're still scratching our head wondering why?The Governor called on the Regional Air Quality Council earlier in late July to "immediately" develop an ozone reduction plan for next summer and beyond. So far, there's been a lot of talk about the Governor's call to action and ozone in general, but not much in the way of a clean air

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-24991701479480993142007-08-17T07:57:00.000-07:002007-08-17T08:07:21.664-07:00

Was it a mistake?Yesterday, ozone levels in the Denver metro area climbed to as high as 80 parts per billion over an eight hour period, which is where current health standards are set. Despite this, an ozone health alert wasn't issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.The state issues ozone health alerts whenever it forecasts ozone levels to rise to 75 parts per billion

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-63589293697560487772007-08-14T07:54:00.000-07:002007-08-14T08:38:49.285-07:00

We don't know all the clean air measures that will ultimately be adopted to reduce harmful ozone in the Denver metro area, but we do know for certain what some of these measures will be.If an area violates ambient air quality standards for ozone, like Denver did on July 20th, the federal Clean Air Act requires states to develop a plan to bring our air quality back down to healthy levels. That

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-4287062183503764332007-08-03T19:35:00.000-07:002007-08-03T20:04:07.363-07:00

This week brought a flurry of attention to Denver's ozone crisis, ending with a report back from yesterday's Regional Air Quality Council meeting in both the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News.The Council was meeting to discuss next steps after the latest violation of ozone health standards and the latest charge from Governor Bill Ritter to clean up ozone here in Denver, and fast.So how did it

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-14585878990723135622007-07-31T22:17:00.000-07:002007-07-31T22:36:36.040-07:00

Yet another ozone alert was issued today for the Denver metro area, marking the 26th ozone alert this month and the 40th so far this year. July 2007 has seen more ozone alerts than any July since at least 1999, if not earlier.And with good reason. Following today's alert, ozone levels skyrocketed again. Eight hour ozone concentrations peaked at 94 parts per billion at the Rocky Flats monitor and

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-22575661219145985912007-07-31T13:24:00.000-07:002007-07-31T13:42:59.849-07:00

The Denver Post weighed in today on Denver's ozone pollution, urging the Regional Air Quality Council to, "take an aggressive stance on pursuing reductions of emissions that combine to make ground-level ozone."The editorial follows on the heels of Governor Bill Ritter calling on the Council to "immediately develop and propose additional measures to further reduce ambient ozone concentrations to

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-5987115970685841062007-07-30T19:04:00.000-07:002007-08-21T17:15:34.471-07:00

The Denver Post gave Vince Carroll at the Rocky Mountain News some prime fodder today, reporting that the Denver metro area faces the prospect of "deodorant controls" to keep pollution in check.The idea is completely ridiculous and about as likely to be adopted as Denver's likely to elect a Republican for the First Congressional District.Nevertheless, the article got some attention. 26 people

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-44753495211561906102007-07-27T09:07:00.000-07:002007-07-27T10:04:55.386-07:00

Governor Bill Ritter is stepping up, urging the Regional Air Quality Council to devise a plan to not only curb ozone pollution in the long-term, but keep people safe from high ozone in the summer of 2008. Here's an excerpt from the Governor's news release:I challenge the RAQC [Regional Air Quality Council] to work with these stakeholders to begin immediately to develop and propose additional

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-24322097911475034952007-07-25T13:38:00.000-07:002007-07-25T13:53:38.837-07:00

Denver residents are slimmer and fitter than residents of 24 other cities in the United States, according to the latest report from the Denver Health and Wellness Commission.Yet while Denver ranked high in many areas, the report also found that Denver ranked 18th out of 25 in terms of the percentage of adults with asthma. While those of us in Denver may be healthy in some areas, our respiratory

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-72023420699595308212007-07-23T19:35:00.000-07:002007-07-23T20:35:48.781-07:00

All right, we'll give the state some credit here. We've violated federal standards for ozone in our air and they have committed to dealing with the problem.This is a significant step forward and we commend the state for responding so quickly, but what do we do in the near-term?Even though we've violated ozone standards, the state has not proposed to take any short-term steps to safeguard our

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-39913893370795246142007-07-22T07:48:00.000-07:002007-07-22T08:17:47.878-07:00

For brevity's sake, just read the Denver Post article today.We will add one thing, however. Although we give the state a hard time for not doing more to keep smog in check in the Denver metro area, the responsibility really falls on industry's shoulders. The oil and gas industry, Xcel Energy, the oil refineries--they've all fought tooth and nail against regulation over the years.We hope industry

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-17398423118124598882007-07-21T17:22:00.000-07:002007-07-21T17:57:27.422-07:00

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

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-25554302305970626222007-07-20T09:37:00.000-07:002007-07-20T09:53:30.832-07:00

As of yesterday, the state has issued 8 consecutive ozone alerts, that's an ozone health alert every day between July 12 and July 19th. Yesterday's alert lasts until today at 4:00 P.M. and given the forecast for the weekend--hot, sunny, and mostly clear--we're likely to see ozone alerts throughout the weekend.Despite the ozone alerts, the Denver metro area still has not violated federal health

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-15895892640256388072007-07-17T11:21:00.000-07:002007-07-17T12:12:53.852-07:00

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper was sworn in for a second term yesterday. In his inauguration speech, he promised a "new urban renaissance."At the same time, the Denver area is experiencing record heat and continued threats from ozone pollution, otherwise known as smog. Yesterday marked the sixth day in a row that an ozone health alert was issued, and today promises to bring a seventh. That's a

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-65256169990957227812007-07-16T13:16:00.000-07:002007-07-16T13:31:14.405-07:00

As the Fort Collins Coloradoan reports today, the northern Front Range city is in the midst of an ozone health crisis along with the rest of the Denver metro area.One monitor, called the Fort Collins West monitor, was first installed in 2006. Since then, the monitor has recorded some of the highest ozone levels in the entire Denver metro area. Last year, it recorded an 8-hour ozone concentration

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-59037629409050166522007-07-13T09:19:00.000-07:002007-08-21T08:07:09.109-07:00

In a somewhat quiet move, Governor Bill Ritter appointed 9 new members to the Regional Air Quality Council and signed a new Executive Order allowing the Council to serve as the lead air quality planning agency in the Denver metro area until October 2008.We've blasted the Regional Air Quality Council numerous times in the past. The Council has typically ignored public health concerns when taking

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-31457425587766182862007-07-13T09:04:00.000-07:002007-07-13T09:19:41.093-07:00

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued the press release below yesterday afternoon. The release comes as ozone levels in the Denver metro area continue to rise to unhealthy levels, threatening to violate federal air quality standards.We certainly welcome the state's attention on this critical issue. All things considered, the Denver metro area is in the midst of a health

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-44478632268089608862007-07-09T22:22:00.000-07:002007-07-09T22:48:07.169-07:00

Tonight, ozone levels in the Denver metro area soared. They peaked at levels not seen since 2003.According to online monitoring data, 8-hour ozone levels in the air reached 98 parts per billion at Rocky Flats, 90 in Golden, 88 in Fort Collins and in Boulder, 85 in southwest Lakewood, 84 in Arvada, 83 in Highlands Ranch, and 81 in Denver and at Chatfield. Current health standards for ozone in our

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-14936257791225552662007-07-08T17:08:00.000-07:002007-07-08T17:22:40.509-07:00

Colorado Springs has more breathable air than Denver, or so the Gazette reports. The reason? Their ozone levels aren't as high.This is true on a technical level. In fact Denver's ozone levels are typically higher. It's not so true from a health standpoint, however. As the Gazette reports, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to strengthen health standards for ozone and if the

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-4005475392305003992007-07-03T08:15:00.000-07:002007-07-03T08:33:32.760-07:00

More highs, more signs of trouble.Today marked a flurry of news coverage of Denver's unhealthy ozone over the weekend. Check out the Rocky Mountain News and Denver Post coverage. Associated Press reporter Judi Kohler even noted that National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, a national leader in treating respiratory illnesses, reported increased complaints among their patients because

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-90929307170315321582007-07-01T21:22:00.000-07:002007-07-01T21:24:14.789-07:00

Today eight-hour ozone levels in our air peaked at 83 parts per billion at Rocky Flats, 82 in Boulder, and 83 in Fort Collins. That means in total since Friday, federal health standards for ozone, the key ingredient of smog, were exceeded 9 times in the Denver metro area.

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-79249242384143937932007-06-30T22:33:00.000-07:002007-06-30T22:50:07.927-07:00

Ozone levels soared again today in the Denver metro area, rising above current federal health limits at four monitor sites.According to the latest information on the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division's website, ozone levels climbed above the health limit of 80 parts per billion over an eight hour period at Rocky Flats, in Golden, in Fort Collins, and in southwest Lakewood.Rocky Flats had an

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-25112627157884344872007-06-29T19:55:00.000-07:002007-06-29T20:03:41.975-07:00

Things are still smoggy as all get tonight, folks. As of 7 P.M., the maximum eight hour ozone concentrations reached 85 parts per billion at Rocky Flats and 80 in Golden. Our current health standards limit ozone to no more than 80 parts per billion, so this is pretty serious.In fact, today saw hourly ozone concentrations reach 90 parts per billion or higher, some of the highest hourly readings

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-59802599503688997622007-06-28T07:48:00.000-07:002007-06-28T08:01:42.182-07:00

Play it safe today here in Denver, according to the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division, microscopic particulate pollution is climbing to unhealthy levels. Particulate pollution poses a myriad of terrible health effects.As of this morning, particulate concentrations were at 26 micrograms/cubic meter in downtown Denver. Federal health standards limit particulate matter to no more than 35

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-46412888148073284512007-06-27T10:19:00.000-07:002007-06-27T10:24:56.977-07:00

Thousands biked to work today here in Denver, including us, and what a wonderful sight it was!And if thousands can do it today, why can't thousands do it every day? Let's go, make every day bike to work day, folks!It's good for you and good for our air; you simply can't go wrong.

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-83854615695024368022007-06-25T10:41:00.000-07:002007-06-25T10:52:17.146-07:00

Speaking of unhealthy ozone pollution, yesterday marked the first day this year that monitors in the Denver metro area registered an exceedance of current health standards. The monitor in Fort Collins had a reading of 0.081 parts per million; the current standard is 0.080 parts per million. Here's an overview from the state:Sat. 6/24: Max 8-hour = 0.081 ppm at Fort Collins-West(For the Denver

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-54956180059234022632007-06-25T06:46:00.000-07:002007-06-25T07:23:33.494-07:00

It's time to recap from a busy (and hot) end of last week and weekend.Last Thursday, the EPA held it's dog and pony show announcing its proposal to "strengthen" health standards for ozone from 0.080 parts per million (that's 80 parts per billion) to somewhere between 0.070-0.075 parts per million.True, if the EPA's proposal is finalized, it would represent a major step forward for our health. But

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-47768550793769682372007-06-20T20:48:00.000-07:002007-06-20T20:49:20.965-07:00

until tomorrow morning. In the meantime, check out our post on our Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action blog and learn what you need to know about the EPA's forthcoming proposal.

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-65780808960953548272007-06-20T05:58:00.000-07:002007-06-20T07:11:45.795-07:00

Long overdue, the Environmental Protection Agency is today slated to propose a new ambient air quality standard for ozone. The proposal already has industry kicking and screaming, crying that if we actually take steps to fully protect our health--like that of the 89,000 children in Colorado suffering from asthma--this country will "shut down." Not likely. Our hope is that the agency adopts a

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-29222242175671135252007-06-16T23:22:00.000-07:002007-06-16T23:24:42.895-07:00

While people in the Denver metro area are being urged to "stay at home" this weekend due to unhealthy ozone pollution, we'd rather take the steps needed to keep ozone from rising to unhealthy levels in the first place.It's the classic response the state and the Regional Air Quality Council like to give whenever ozone pollution, also known as smog, threatens our health. "It's the weather," they

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-78177999736299464132007-06-14T20:14:00.000-07:002007-06-14T20:19:25.611-07:00

Today marked the first ozone alert issued in 2007, although ozone has risen to unhealthy levels many times so far in 2007.The alert has been more than warranted. Ozone concentrations at the Fort Collins West monitor climbed to 79 parts per billion today, the highest ozone reading so far in Colorado in 2007. Federal standards are currently set at 80 parts per billion, so we're cutting it pretty

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-22993326723456529832007-06-14T20:06:00.000-07:002007-06-15T13:01:10.004-07:00

Unfortunately, Godzilla can't help us with our smog. Fortunately, Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action can!

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-83805012296966733762007-06-14T10:55:00.000-07:002007-06-14T11:09:11.595-07:00

We've been so busy it almost slipped past us, but as of June 7, 2007, Denver Ozone has officially been on the web for over one year!Over the year, we've brought crucial information, commentary, and ideas related to ozone pollution, also known as smog, in the Denver metro area. We've also interjected this with posts on particulate pollution in Denver and other related issues.What's been our goal,

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-9953981659869146052007-06-13T09:05:00.000-07:002007-06-13T09:18:02.156-07:00

In the last few days, the only thing we've "struggled" with is wind, rain, and cool temperatures, all a welcome reprieve from the heat, but that doesn't mean we're in the clear.2007 will be a critical year for Denver, and it's unclear whether we're going to be able to keep our air free of smog. Rest assured, we hope more than anyone that 2007 is a clean and healthy year for Denver's air quality,

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-46019971602352951872007-06-08T15:38:00.000-07:002007-06-22T08:19:03.040-07:00

This is a proposal that will hopefully go nowhere fast. According to the Rocky Mountain News, Suncor Energy is considering building a new oil refinery in north Denver.With a new refinery comes more air pollution, including more cancer-causing benzene and other toxic pollutants. Already, the Suncor refinery spews out nearly 100,000 pounds of air toxics, including 198 pounds of benzene, over 11,000

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-85040382013530727162007-06-06T17:49:00.000-07:002007-06-06T19:14:35.798-07:00

As a review for all of us, check out an overview of the health effects of ozone, prepared by Colorado's own Dr. Ned Colonge, the Chief Medical Officer of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.As Dr. Colonge explains on page 9:According to the U.S. EPA, ozone concentrations as low as 64 ppb [parts per billion] can be dangerous for sensitive groups. Typically, half of all summer

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-37039105607944913402007-06-01T14:51:00.000-07:002007-06-01T15:05:21.356-07:00

According to the Regional Air Quality Council, the summer ozone season has just started.For many of us though, the ozone season has already been very active, with concentrations rising to unhealthy levels many times in March, April, and May. Ozone, otherwise known as smog, remains a health threat to everyone living in the Denver metro area.The message in all this is that we all continue to be at

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-6713695907006360882007-05-30T11:23:00.000-07:002007-05-30T11:24:26.622-07:00

Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action needs your support.Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action is a leading advocacy group working to protect clean air for healthy children and healthy communities in Colorado and the surrounding region. However, as a nonprofit organization, we rely solely on donations from our members to sustain our work.If you haven't joined, become a member today and consider giving a

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-55627640173461649912007-05-18T09:18:00.000-07:002007-05-18T09:41:27.787-07:00

Back in March, Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action and Natural Resources Defense Council put Kerr-McGee on notice that the oil and gas company was utterly failing to keep smog forming pollution in check at several of its natural gas compressor stations north of Denver.At the heels of this, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced that Kerr-McGee has not only agreed to install pollution

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-45778175111000053422007-05-14T14:31:00.000-07:002007-05-14T14:35:59.058-07:00

2007 is on track to be one of the smoggiest and most unhealthy years in recent times. Ozone is rising to unprecedented levels, a sign that things are likely to get worse as the summer ozone season progresses. Check out the report, "On Track for Disaster?," here >> Smoggy Denver Skyline (CDPHE)

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-35362608221345958372007-04-30T13:05:00.000-07:002007-04-30T13:12:58.500-07:00

Some lively discussion is taking place on our April 27th post about Suncor Energy's sponsorship of a major Greenprint Denver effort, and we need your feedback, too!Could the loss of Suncor Energy, a major Denver metro air polluter, as the Title Sponsor of Greenprint Denver's Tree by Tree: Mile High Million Initiative lead to the collapse of the effort?Are there sustainable businesses who would be

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-29406250285485330542007-04-29T07:43:00.000-07:002007-04-29T14:11:07.855-07:00

First, because that's what the latest science shows is needed to protect our health. Second, because there are real-life implications for unhealthy air pollution, just read the Denver Post today:While 8-year-old Heather Haney plays outside all summer with neighborhood friends, her twin sister, Camille, is often trapped indoors - a prisoner to asthma made worse by growing smog.

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-21677478599872487422007-04-27T20:43:00.000-07:002007-04-28T09:44:29.822-07:00

We also had to do a double take.Suncor Energy, the owner and operator of the oil refineries north of Denver, which together are one of the largest sources of air pollution in the Denver metro area, is the "title sponsor" of Tree by Tree, the Mile High Million. In other words, Suncor Energy is the corporate sponsor behind Mayor Hickenlooper's initiative to plant more trees in Denver.So why is this

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-14624996510369700642007-04-26T15:43:00.000-07:002007-04-26T15:50:15.329-07:00

Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action joined other health groups today in putting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on notice of an impending lawsuit to strengthen carbon monoxide clean air standards.The latest science shows that carbon monoxide levels at 1.4 parts per million can lead to low birth weights and other health problems. Current standards allow carbon monoxide to be as high as 9

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-5515721893447612872007-04-19T10:17:00.000-07:002007-04-19T10:18:49.266-07:00

Increased ethanol use promises smoggier and more sickly skies in the Denver metro area. Check out the post on Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action.

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-71084300089307874162007-04-15T20:41:00.000-07:002007-04-15T21:24:37.840-07:00

Even though the official "ozone season" doesn't start until May 1, the Denver metro area has already experienced unhealthy levels of ozone, the key ingredient of smog.Current federal health standards limit ozone concentrations to no more than 80 parts per billion over an 8-hour period. However, it's now known that whenever concentrations exceed 60 parts per billion over an 8-hour period, children

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-77498409311939567512007-04-11T19:46:00.000-07:002007-04-11T20:21:34.467-07:00

The oil and gas industry must be scrambling for some positive attention these days as the news today on CBS 4 Denver was how EnCana will be spending $2.5 million this year to cut smog forming pollution in the Denver metro area. That's hardly news, it's really the least EnCana could be doing to keep smog forming pollution in check.But we're sincerely impressed that EnCana is moving forward with

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-89279088545780905402007-04-08T17:41:00.000-07:002007-04-08T17:54:13.327-07:00

Here's a great idea being put into action, Green Clippers.According to founder Mike Caskey:Green Clippers is the name, quiet neighborhoods and clean Colorado air is the game. Actually, it really isn't a game, when it comes to the health of our citizens! That's why I have decided to start Green Clippers, the Silent, Clean, Man-Powered lawn mowing service. That's right, we use push-reel mowers to

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-15938720108932149032007-04-07T08:12:00.000-07:002007-04-07T08:25:18.451-07:00

Todd Hartman with the Rocky Mountain News reports on the latest effects of climate change:The metro area, struggling with unhealthy smog levels, could see the problem get worse, since ground-level ozone, a major component of smog, is formed when certain pollutants bake in clear, hot, stagnant skies. More reason to act to reverse climate change.

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-29776297057544885792007-04-05T13:48:00.000-07:002007-04-05T13:54:25.309-07:00

Clean air scientists and physicians have called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen health standards for smog.The EPA's own clean air science advisers have recommended that health standards for smog be tightened. Currently, the standard limits smog, or ozone, concentrations to no more than 80 parts per billion over an eight hour period. Scientists have recommended a

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-20407493048090179042007-03-30T09:20:00.000-07:002007-03-30T09:21:50.273-07:00

Walk for health on April 3rd in Denver!

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-6691941681998241792007-03-28T20:59:00.000-07:002007-03-29T07:43:10.237-07:00

While "National Health and Environmental Organizations" are being asked to sign on to the letter below, we see no reason why you, me, and all our friends and family can't print, sign, and send our very own copy and send it to the Environmental Protection Agency as well. So, go ahead, cut and paste the letter below into your processor, print it, sign it (on behalf of yourself and your family,

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-49132740228463156892007-03-22T16:38:00.000-07:002007-03-22T17:09:58.567-07:00

The city of Denver continues to disappoint those of us who enjoy breathing clean air.Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action is right now working to secure additional smog reductions in the Denver metro area. Called the Saving Our Health From Smog Plan, it calls for a 53% reduction in smog forming pollution from coal burning power plants. It would require these plants to cut smog forming pollution to the

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-19666680489654330042007-03-21T18:44:00.000-07:002007-04-23T13:16:01.612-07:00

It's time for the city of Denver to come clean, admit how filthy the air is here in the city, and help do something about it.We say this because the mantra of environmental "sustainability," which is voiced over and over by city officials like some droning, mindless chant, is nothing but a bunch of smoke when it comes to the health of our air. We mean that both literally and figuratively.Get this

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-39126394640868384302007-03-21T13:46:00.000-07:002007-03-21T14:01:40.728-07:00

Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action and the Natural Resources Defense Council are gearing up to file suit against the Kerr-McGee corporation over its failure to control smog forming pollution from 11 gigantic natural gas compressor engines operating north of Denver. The engines have been illegally spewing smog forming pollution for nearly two years and release as much pollution as over 115,000 cars.

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-92196897910293930832007-03-12T15:29:00.000-07:002007-03-12T15:48:58.142-07:00

The state of Colorado has taken important steps to reduce smog forming pollution from oil and gas development in the Denver metro region. Unfortunately, massive sources of smog forming pollution have yet to do anything to protect people from smog--coal burning power plants. This is going to change.In practically every other region of the United States dealing with smog pollution, coal burning

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-27003786432718044142007-03-02T07:53:00.000-08:002007-03-02T08:16:27.495-08:00

The Colorado Air Pollution Control Division is proposing changes to Denver's tailpipe testing program. The notice is posted online, but the 153 page document is probably the last thing you want to read right now.Tailpipe testing is one of three ways that air pollution from cars and trucks is kept in check. First off, vehicle manufacturers have to ensure that cars and trucks meet federally

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-54313809161382269672007-02-22T20:39:00.000-08:002007-02-22T20:51:20.281-08:00

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

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-51580407932560323912007-02-15T21:32:00.000-08:002007-02-15T21:42:41.899-08:00

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

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-23985039657467324952007-02-14T20:39:00.000-08:002007-02-14T20:57:49.786-08:00

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

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-44091862369035581492007-02-12T14:08:00.000-08:002007-02-12T15:20:28.874-08:00

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.

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-88321290392266182007-02-10T10:41:00.000-08:002007-02-10T10:41:15.178-08:00

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

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-90667975502684089042007-02-09T09:00:00.000-08:002007-02-10T10:58:46.973-08:00

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: 70Chatfield Reservoir: 60National Jewish Hospital: 62Check out yesterday's post for more

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-26697642713716338262007-02-08T16:56:00.001-08:002007-02-10T10:38:16.946-08:00

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

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-32821303021197009572007-02-08T16:56:00.000-08:002007-02-10T10:40:28.572-08:00

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

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-49135680466203895612007-02-03T14:24:00.000-08:002007-02-03T14:55:48.038-08:00

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

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-12840534247571191642007-01-31T08:03:00.000-08:002007-01-31T09:12:24.831-08:00

Last October, clean air scientists issued a scathing criticism of a draft Environmental Protection Agency recommendation to keep federal health standards for smog, also known as ozone, unchanged.Yesterday, staff of the Environmental Protection Agency issued their final recommendation and, heeding the advice of clean air scientists, recommended strengthening smog standards.Current smog standards,

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-45942245592502612812007-01-27T06:54:00.000-08:002007-01-27T07:16:10.689-08:00

A new study released this week shows that children living in close proximity to busy streets and highways have poorer lung function and are more likely to develop respiratory illnesses as they grow up.The study shows that the effects of traffic exhaust to children can last a lifetime. It's the latest in a trend of studies that, not surprisingly, that air pollution poses even greater threats to

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-1169173359187984522007-01-18T18:12:00.000-08:002007-01-18T18:22:39.576-08:00

No, it's not Denver. That distinction goes to Aatlanta, Georgia according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.The reason? Serious air pollution and a high asthma death rate. Atlanta, in fact, has some of the worst ozone pollution in the southern United States and has so far failed to clean up smog levels.Thankfully Denver isn't among the top 10 most challenging places to live with

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-1168538414909131472007-01-11T09:50:00.000-08:002007-01-11T10:01:04.556-08:00

With smog continuing to plague the eight-county Denver metro region, Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action filed suit yesterday against the Environmental Protection Agenc (EPA) to secure additional clean air protections and give a boost to community health. The Rocky Mountain News today reports on this effort.The lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., aims to secure additional safegaurds to protect

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-1167265943693341762006-12-27T16:24:00.000-08:002006-12-27T16:32:24.146-08:00

"A bit of fresh air blew into the industrial rule book recently when the state Air Quality Control Commission imposed tight new pollution standards on Colorado's booming oil and gas industry."So the Denver Post stated today in an editorial supporting recently adopted smog reduction rules for the Denver metro area. The Posts' editorial comes as we enter the New Year of 2007 with fresh, new, and

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-1166904302197966262006-12-23T12:04:00.000-08:002006-12-23T12:05:02.700-08:00

The Rocky Mountain News this week expressed its support for efforts to reduce smog forming pollution from oil and gas developments north of Denver, reasoning that it makes perfect sense to target such a large source of air pollution, especially with Denver on the brink of violating federal health standards. Hear, hear!But it wasn't all hugs and handshakes from the Rocky Mountain News this last

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-1166548487021820272006-12-19T09:07:00.000-08:002006-12-19T09:14:47.790-08:00

Coloradolib recently posted on Denver's new and better smog reduction rule and the challenges ahead in keeping smog reductions on track in the metro area.Golden Voices also reports that the new smog reductions will greatly benefit clean air and the health of Golden citizens. Last summer, monitors in Golden registered unhealthy levels of ozone pollution over five days. While health standards are

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-1166508118997880502006-12-18T21:34:00.000-08:002006-12-18T22:01:59.643-08:00

At the close of an unprecedented Sunday hearing, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission voted yesterday to reject a state- industry compromise and adopt stronger smog reductions for the Denver metro area. The new rule requires the oil and gas industry to reduce emissions of smog forming pollution from over 5,000 condensate tanks north of Denver by 75%, rather than 73.3% as originally

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29403851.post-1166295185788572472006-12-16T09:45:00.000-08:002006-12-16T10:58:19.260-08:00

Last Thursday, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission voted to reject a proposal that would have exempted more cars from tailpipe testing. The proposal, which has been driven by politics and would actually worsen ozone pollution in the Denver metro area, would have allowed new cars to avoid tailpipe testing for up to eight years. Thankfully it was rejected.At the same time, the Air Quality

Jeremy Nicholshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06545630756128820287noreply@blogger.com0