air quality

Most of the states in our region have at least one county that violates the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Ambient Air Quality Standard, with the most problematic issues involving particulates in the air and heat.

When talking about climate change, carbon dioxide often takes center stage. But methane is actually a bigger problem. A project in southwest Wyoming intends to address it with the help of new federal funds.

Wyoming is at the drawing board for how to reduce pollution from oil and gas production, per a federal mandate. Officials recently heard from Pinedale residents on how to localize the federal requirements. The meeting was part of a statewide information gathering tour hosted by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality.

Wyoming has to reimagine how it regulates a pollutant from oil and gas operations, per new federal government rules. The state is holding a series of public meetings this month to hear suggestions.

Wyoming will be testing the air quality around Rock Springs for the next year, partly because of population growth in the area. The air quality monitor is one of three Department of Environmental Quality equipped trailers that’s moved around the state every year or so to collect data and monitor trends.

Air pollution can be two to five times worse indoors compared to outside, and it’s especially concerning for children, who tend to breathe in more air than adults in relation to their body weight.

Folks with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and pregnant people are advised to avoid excessive exertion and to keep outdoor activities light and short during periods of poor air quality.

Starting about a week ago, western Wyoming's skies have been smokey. This is likely just the start of what will be a smokey remainder of summer.

It’s not news to anyone that coal has been declining for a while now – production in Wyoming has almost halved since it peaked in 2008. But that decline could steepen thanks to recent federal rules and proposals.

A new report from the American Lung Association shows cities across the Western U.S. have some of the most polluted air in the country. But that’s not the case everywhere in the Mountain West.