Noël Bishop
Larger Essay Final
How can we live in harmony with nature?
Salt Lake Valley Inversion Invasion
The Salt Lake valley is located between two mountain ranges, the Wasatch Mountains
and the Oquirrh Mountains. The Oquirrh Mountains grace the western part of the valley with the
Great Salt Lake extending from the North, while the Wasatch Mountains border the east and
northern part of the valley, with rolling neighborhoods and green scenery creating a descending,
checkered pattern going inward to accent the populous living in the valley. Most people who
come to the Salt Lake Valley for their first time are amazed at the absolute beauty of this valley.
The crisp mountain range with the rolling
Salt Lake City is Utah’s state capital and the Salt Lake Valley has the highest population
concentration in the region. There is a high level of commuting by vehicle along 3 major
interstate highways. These levels of commuting have made the pollution here in Salt Lake one of
the ten worst cities for smog in the nation. As of March of 2011 in Forbes magazine, “soiled”
Salt Lake City is listed as number nine on the “Top Ten Most Polluted Toxic Cities in the US.”
(Clean Cut Media)
Pollution builds up when there are streams of clear days with no wind or rain to clear the
smog. The summertime is usually the worst for air quality. However, in the winter there is a
severe problem with inversion due to high pressures forming over the valley and creating a haze
so severe that it’s impossible to see the mountain ranges from the city. It is here that the beauty
of this valley has turned against itself. The mountains on the eastern side are 2,000 feet higher
and effectively trap weather blown in from the west and provide a natural bowl for high
pressures to form over the valley and trap pollution.
As a result, local news regularly reports ‘red’ days in the valley that are meant to
encourage people with their daily commute to take public transportation and to carpool.
Residents are also encouraged not to have backyard pit fires or chimney fires for the sake of not
adding to the issue of pollution. Health problems which are a result of the smog can be damaging
for those with asthma, the elderly, and can be damaging enough for those young enough to
develop lung problems.
While other cities in the nation such as Los Angeles have consistently more bad air
quality days per year than Salt Lake City, the situation in Salt Lake City have been filed listing it
as the worst in the nation, at times. On January 11th,2010, Salt Lake City’s air quality index was
listed as 142 compared to San Francisco’s 67 and Las Vegas’s 23 (KSL)
The impact on respiratory health is significant. Local schools have the greatest
opportunity to observe and track this problem. The health of their students is often tied to
environmental concerns, as shown by the following statement:
“Kupferschmidt said it may be hard, but the schools definitely want to protect students'
health. It's a constant concern for Jennifer Kranz, principal of Parkside Elementary School in
Murray. She keeps records of kids' health problems and inhalers for those who need them and
sees a spike in absence when bad air hits.
"I'm up at over 10 percent of our population being absent, and a good many of those are
because of respiratory problems," said Kranz. When asked if she thinks there's a clear link with
the bad air, she says, "Absolutely." (KSL)
Historical records show that this has always been a problem since the pioneers began
their settlements. Over the years, as small industry began to grow, mining and smeltering
operations grew and as the population increased “with coal and wood-fired heating in every
home”, the air quality has steadily decreased. (SLC.gov)
The following statement (third paragraph from section titled Prosperity and Problems)
was taken from:
“Air pollution was a leading problem for the City. Although the City Council passed an
ordinance to regulate the burning of soft coal in 1890, it was seldom enforced. Some people
believed the smelter smoke had damaged foliage in Liberty Park and the surrounding residential
areas. In 1908, Mayor John Bransford suggested that smoke reduction presented one of the most
pressing needs of the City. The area from Murray to Salt Lake City was called the "smoke belt."
Farmers complained of damage to their crops and livestock from smelter smoke pelted onto their
fields and animals by wind and rain. The farmers met with the smelting companies, Salt Lake
County Commission and Board of Health. After receiving no satisfaction, the farmers took the
case to court. In 1905, the farmers were granted an injunction against five smelting companies.
Most of the central Salt Lake Valley smelters closed or relocated.” (SLC.gov)
Further evidence of the long-term problem is a national time line for environmental
awareness history, which lists the following entry: “1926 -- First large scale survey of air
pollution in U.S., in Salt Lake City.” This implies that the area has a history of trapping low
lying air here in the valley. The problem has increased as we have increased the use of
automobiles and industrial plants along the Wasatch Front. (Enviromental History)
Today there are different kinds of solutions being implemented. These range from
alternative transportation options to tighter industrial emission controls, and from public health
initiatives to personal health planning.
New public transportation systems throughout the Salt Lake Valley and along the
Wasatch front includes public rail. The new commuter rail system stretches from Ogden to Salt
Lake City and has nearly been extended to Provo. The local “TRAX” system continues to have
ridership in excess of 3 times of the original estimates. As a result, a lateral spur has been
constructed to the University of Utah and more are being constructed into West Jordan, the Salt
Lake City Airport, and Draper.
There are many who are ditching their cars in place of bicycles, not just to get more
cardio, but to contribute a more environmental role model.
Under the leadership of Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, a regular cyclist, the city
has moved from their 2007 Bronze designation to Silver. “We have seen notable results of Salt
Lake City’s commitment to increasing bikeways and creating solutions for alternative modes of
transportation,” said Becker. They have used the program and now Salt Lake City has a
comprehensive approach to accommodating and welcoming cyclists, and the city’s percentage of
bicycle commuters continues to grow – 4 times the national average. (Cahill)
There is even a movement taking place to encourage each person to formulate and use
their own personal Air Quality Emergency Action Plan This plan encourages people with the
initiative to keep track of the weather along with the use of their vehicles in accordance with bad
air quality days. (Breathe Utah)
Another solution must include stricter enforcement of existing industrial pollution laws to
decrease the industrial component. The Utah Department of Environmental Quality is taking an
active role in reducing harmful emissions and promoting clean air initiatives. (Utah Department
of Environmental Quality)
Overall, the state of Utah is aware of action needed due to the inversion of pollution that
regularly occurs. There is much work to be acted upon due to the mountain ranges that trap
inversion and pollution. If these plans can be recognized by more public support, the problem
with pollution in the Salt Lake Valley has a significant chance of decreasing.
Works Cited
Breathe Utah. Air Quality Emergency Action Plan. 2010. 18 April 2011
<http://breatheutah.org/emergency-plan>.
Cahill, Meghan. League Announces Spring 2010 Bicycle Friendly Communities. 30 April 2010. 23 April
2011 <http://www.bikeleague.org/blog/2010/04/league-announces-spring-2010-bicycle-friendlycommunities/>.
Clean Cut Media. Top Ten Most Polluted Toxic Cities in the US. 2 March 2011. 21 April 2011
<http://www.cleancutmedia.com/articles/top-10-most-polluted-toxic-cities-in-the-us>.
Enviromental History. Roaring Twenties 1920-1930. 20 April 2011
<https://php.radford.edu/~wkovarik/drupal/?q=node/24>.
KSL. "Asthma and Ambient Air Quality in Utah." 11 January 2011. 19 April 2011
<http://www.cleanair.utah.gov/health_presentations/docs/Asthma_Ambient_AQ.pdf>.
—. Northern Utah's air is the Worst in the Nation. 11 January 2011. 19 April 2011
<http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=9300491>.
SLC.gov. Salt Lake City History. 19 April 2011
<http://www.slcgov.com/info/area_info/salt_lake_city.htm>.
Utah Department of Environmental Quality. Utah Department of Environmental Quality. 20 April 2011
<http://www.airquality.utah.gov/>.