The northern Front Range’s newest plan to meet federal ozone-reduction mandates comes with a rare upfront admission that it won’t work. The Regional Air Quality Council, a nonprofit board of experts and local officials charged with writing the state’s ozone compliance plan, will decide Friday on the latest proposals for trimming the hazardous ground-level gas. […]
ground-level ozone
Posted inBusiness, Climate, Energy, Environment, Equity, Health, News
Colorado’s legislative efforts are not enough to solve its Front Range ozone problem
By Jim Robbins, KHN A year after health officials issued a record number of alerts for high ozone levels on Colorado’s Front Range, federal and state officials are trying to rein in the gas that can make outdoor activities a health risk. But new Colorado laws aimed at improving air quality along that urban corridor east […]
Posted inClimate, Environment, Equity, Health, News
How Colorado’s changing climate is putting children’s health at risk
This March, Colorado State Sen. Faith Winter stood at a podium in the State Capitol and spoke to a gathered crowd about reducing the state’s air pollution. After introductions, Winter, Gov. Jared Polis and others unveiled a package of environmental bills that aim to increase access to public transit, build more energy efficient buildings, and construct safe […]
Posted inNews
Heavy smoke from West Coast wildfires is expected to blanket Colorado this weekend
Heavy smoke from wildfires in California and Oregon is expected to blow from northwestern Colorado across much of the state Friday afternoon and Saturday, causing hazy conditions and one of the heaviest fine particulate matter concentrations of the year, according to an advisory from the state’s health department and the National Weather Service. Residents sensitive […]
Posted inClimate, Environment, Health, News
Some of the worst ozone pollution in the U.S. settles along the Front Range. New rules to fix it are ahead.
When it comes to oxygen, the Front Range sometimes has too much of a good thing. On many sunny, summer days the region has not only O2 in the air but also O3 – oxygen with an extra atom that transforms it into a corrosive gas — ozone. “The extra atom of oxygen turns it […]
Posted inEnergy, Environment, News
Northern Weld County to be placed under tighter ozone restrictions in EPA reversal
The EPA has reversed itself and will now place northern Weld County and its extensive oil and gas operations inside the northern Front Range “nonattainment” zone for ozone standards, signaling tighter regulation on those creating the dangerous pollutant and handing a victory to a coalition of environmental groups and local officials. The decision also reverses […]
Posted inClimate, Environment, News
Colorado air quality regulators update plan to lower ozone levels and align with EPA standards
Colorado’s air quality regulators on Friday adopted a new plan to combat Front Range ozone pollution that will tighten emissions from oil wells, boilers and automobiles, and may even change the way paint dries. The new plan is necessary as the federal Environmental Protection Agency is set next year to drop the region’s ozone status […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: It’s time to talk about Colorado’s unwanted houseguest – air pollution
Like many Coloradans, I spent much of August inside a home. Climate change is fueling extreme heat and destructive wildfires, both of which exacerbate our air pollution woes. This meant we had to reevaluate all our plans for fun-filled outdoor activities, especially with the newest family member, my baby nephew. We were stuck inside and, […]
Posted inColoradans, COVID, Energy, Environment, Health, News, Politics and Government, Transportation, Wildfire
Air quality improved slightly during the stay-at-home order. But Colorado still has a serious pollution problem.
Metro Denver ranks 10th among most ozone-polluted cities in the country, according to the American Lung Association. Fort Collins is ranked No. 19. Colorado has been making progress to clean up its air over the past decade by enacting stricter oil and gas regulations and automobile emissions standards, but the Front Range is still out […]