Under the Clean Air Act, all areas of the country are legally entitled to healthy, clean air. For more than a decade, however, high ozone pollution levels in the Denver Metro-North Front Range Area in Colorado have exceeded federal air quality standards and threatened public health.
How bad is the air quality in Denver?
Denver residents have been inhaling hazardous air pollution at elevated levels on more than 260 days a year for the past two years, federal records show, as two new studies released this week ranked metro Denver among the top 10 worst U.S. cities for air quality.
Are Denver’s air-cleaning efforts enough to clean the air?
While air pollution levels in Denver generally aren’t as high as they were in the 1980s, health and environmental advocacy groups are questioning whether air-cleaning efforts under Gov. Jared Polis are sufficient to make sure inhaling is healthy under current federal standards.
How can we solve the air pollution problem in Denver?
Addressing air pollution in Denver will require more than the abolition of a few industrial chimneys, but the millions of exhaust pipes that use the streets on a daily basis. What is the pollution level in Denver? Air pollution levels in Denver have improved since the 1980s when the city was reputed for its “brown cloud” 1.
Is Denver Colorado’s most polluted city?
Despite Denver’s challenges with air pollution, the city is not the most polluted in Colorado. In 2019, Silverton was Colorado’s most polluted city (affected by wildfires in that year), followed by Greeley (a city known for its meatpacking industry). Air pollution is dynamic, changing with seasons, weather, and pollution events.
Where is the cleanest air in Colorado?
Colorado Springs, CO. Colorado Springs has an air quality index of 88.3%. That's a bit less than the national average of 89.2%, but still better than the air quality in Denver, just North of Colorado Springs. The Palmer Divide tends to block out most of the smog and pollutants that come from Denver.
Why is Denver's air quality unhealthy?
What causes smog in Denver? Denver's air quality is primarily challenged by ozone pollution formed from precursor pollutants emitted by motor vehicles (mobile sources) and the oil and gas industry (stationary sources). Studies have shown that these two sources play an almost equal role in polluting Denver's air.
Is Denver very polluted?
DENVER (CBS4)- A new report shows that Colorado cities are among the most polluted in the U.S. Denver ranked 7th in the nation and Fort Collins came in 18th according to a report released by the American Lung Association. Denver's ranking is even worse when it comes to ground-level ozone pollution.
Is it hard to breathe in Denver?
Denver really is a mile high, but most people don't even notice the altitude difference. The air is just thinner and dryer. In fact, many people with respiratory problems move to Denver for the benefits of the dry air. Follow these tips to stay happy and healthy.
Is Denver a clean city?
The Report ranks Denver in the top 10 for the dirtiest cities in the nation. According to this report, the trash isn't really the factor for how Denver ranks. Denver does rank in the top 5 for Nitrogen dioxide pollution though.
Why is it so smoggy in Denver?
The haze is due to a combination of ground ozone - or regular pollution - combined with wildfire smoke. Typically, Denver and the Front Range's peak months fall in the spring, when an inversion often traps in pollutants at the surface.
Where does Denver rank in air quality?
Ground-level Ozone Pollution in Colorado “State of the Air 2022” ranked Denver as the 7th most polluted city for ozone pollution, one spot worse compared to the city's 8th place ranking in 2021. For the first time since 2016, every county in the Denver region earned a failing grade.
What city in the US has the best air quality?
Cleanest Cities | State of the AirAsheville-Marion-Brevard, NCasheville-marion-brevard-nc.html1St. George, UTst-george-ut.html1Syracuse-Auburn, NYsyracuse-auburn-ny.html1Tuscaloosa, ALtuscaloosa-al.html1Urban Honolulu, HIurban-honolulu-hi.html175 more rows
Why is it so hazy in Denver Colorado?
The Pipeline Fire near Flagstaff, Arizona, ignited Sunday, and smoke from the fire is creating hazy skies over Colorado, including in the Denver metro area.
Does Denver get inversions?
Denver's location at the foot of the Rocky Mountains make it prone to temperature inversions in which warm air traps cooler air near the ground, preventing pollutants from rising into the atmosphere.
What city in the US has the best air quality?
Cleanest Cities | State of the AirAsheville-Marion-Brevard, NCasheville-marion-brevard-nc.html1St. George, UTst-george-ut.html1Syracuse-Auburn, NYsyracuse-auburn-ny.html1Tuscaloosa, ALtuscaloosa-al.html1Urban Honolulu, HIurban-honolulu-hi.html175 more rows
What is air quality in Denver today?
I-25 Denver, Colorado Air Pollution: Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI)CurrentMinPM2.5 AQI99PM10 AQI74O3 AQI157NO2 AQI336 more rows
What is the air quality index of Denver?
Denver, officially the City and County of Denver, is the capital and most populous city of the US State of Colorado. It is located in the South Pla...
What are the main sources of air pollution in Denver?
As with many other cities in the US, the main source of air pollution in Denver is from its power generation units. The largest offender is the Com...
What is the pollution level in Denver?
Air pollution levels in Denver have improved since the 1980s when the city was reputed for its “brown cloud”1. In the last two decades, progress ha...
Is air pollution in Denver getting better or worse?
2020 brought the highest levels of air pollution the Denver metro area has seen in a decade. The cause has been attributed to the raging wildfires...
What causes smog in Denver?
Denver’s air quality is primarily challenged by ozone pollution formed from precursor pollutants emitted by motor vehicles (mobile sources) and the...
What effect do PM2.5 particles have on the health of the residents of Denver?
Particles in the PM2.5 size range are able to penetrate deeply into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs and eventually, the alveoli. Exposure...
What is the most problematic pollution in Colorado?
One analysis presented by the advocacy group Environment Colorado counted days during which more than half of the air quality monitoring stations in a city measured elevated ozone and particulate pollution — the most problematic pollutants in many cities nationwide.
How many days of pollution in Denver?
Metro Denver residents in 2018 inhaled elevated levels of pollution on 282 days, including 225 days of moderate degradation, 49 days deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups and eight days deemed unhealthy for all, according to federal records.
How long has Denver been inhaling air pollution?
EPA tallies show Denver residents inhaled elevated pollution on more than 260 days a year for the past two years. In this Wednesday, March 6, 2019, photograph, the skyline is shrouded as pollution fills the air over Denver. Denver residents have been inhaling hazardous air pollution at elevated levels on more than 260 days a year for ...
How long did wildfires last in Colorado?
Heavy wildfires in Colorado and the west hurt air quality in many cities that year. For 2019, the EPA records show at least 265 days during which metro Denver residents inhaled bad air, including 243 moderate days, 20 days unhealthy for sensitive people and two unhealthy for all.
What is the EPA's bad air day?
The EPA uses an Air Quality Index, or AQI, for measuring concentrations of hazardous pollutants in the air people breathe, including ground-level ozone, particulates, sulfur dioxide, lead, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides.
What did the Polis administration do to reduce pollution?
Polis administration officials regard efforts to reduce pollution — requiring automakers to offer more zero-emission vehicles, tougher rules for oil and gas industry polluters — as “first steps… that will result in meaningful improvements,” Kaufman said.
How many asthmatic people are there in Colorado?
About 404,012 people in Colorado have asthma, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. And federal census charts show 22% of the state’s population of about 5.7 million are children under 18, with 14% of the population over 65. “There’s a lot of worry we are not on track.
Which city has the best air quality?
The hot, dry climate is one of the contributors to the excellent air quality. If you’re looking for an alternative to a big city, like Phoenix or Los Angeles, Tucson is a good choice. There’s plenty of industry and a myriad of outdoor activities. 3. Honolulu, Hawaii.
How many people live in areas with air pollution?
Despite efforts by major cities in the U.S. to clean up air pollution levels, at least 60% of Americans live in areas with unhealthy air pollution levels. Unhealthy air can lead to a poor quality of life, including health problems.
What is the air quality in Lake Havasu?
The EPA ranks the air quality in Lake Havasu City at 90 on a scale of 100 , which is great because the higher the number, the better. This number is based on ozone alert days and the number of pollutants found in the air, all based on EPA reports.
Is Colorado Springs air quality good?
Colorado Springs, CO. Colorado Springs has an air quality index of 88. 3%. That’s a bit less than the national average of 89.2%, but still better than the air quality in Denver, just North of Colorado Springs. The Palmer Divide tends to block out most of the smog and pollutants that come from Denver.
Is Palmer Divide good for Colorado Springs?
The Palmer Divide tends to block out most of the smog and pollutants that come from Denver. The pollution index in Colorado Springs is 65.7% less than the Colorado average, making this a good city for those sensitive to allergy pollutants.
How many days a year do you have to drive into the air program in Colorado?
Vehicles driven at least 90 days a year into the AIR program area for employment or school and registered to mailing addresses outside the AIR program area. The state of Colorado only requires emissions checks of the following gasoline vehicles at different time interviews than the typical bi – annual time frame.
Where are smog stations in Colorado?
Smog Check Stations in Aurora, Colorado. The city of Aurora is the third largest city in Colorado with a population of 350,000 and second largest city in the state’s emissions testing program area. The city stretches through Arapahoe and Adams Counties and into Douglas County into the South. Checkout our DMV and Emissions Testing Locations in ...
How old does a vehicle have to be to get a gas test in Colorado?
The only exception for this requirement is if a vehicle owner gets a gasoline vehicle registered in the Colorado emissions program area and the vehicle is not more than 7-years old as dated from the vehicle’s Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin. If this is the case, then the vehicle is not required to get a test until it’s 8 years old.
What happens if you lose your gas cap in Colorado?
A vehicle in the State of Colorado missing or having a malfunctioning gas cap will disqualify the emissions testing results and the vehicle will fail its emissions test. A missing or malfunctioning gas tank will affect the level of emissions coming from a vehicle’s tailpipe. Owners must get a new gas cap for the vehicle and the vehicle must be retested and pass its emissions test.
What is the population of Colorado?
The State of Colorado has a population of 5,500,000 and being the 8th most expansive state by land mass and a reputation for its mountains, great plains, and its namesake, the Colorado River. Colorado works to protect its natural wonders by managing the effects air pollution has on its environment. Checkout our DMV and Emissions Testing Locations in Colorado pages below to find a local smog check station. Get your check today.
How old does a diesel vehicle need to be to be inspected in Colorado?
The program requires annual inspections for diesel vehicles older than 11 model years. Colorado requires only diesel vehicles located in the Automobile Inspection and Readjustment Program area in the Diesel Opacity Inspection Program. Vehicles taking part in the program must pass a loaded-mode dynamometer-based test.
Does Colorado Air Care inspect diesel vehicles?
The Colorado Air Care program does not inspect diesel vehicles. However, that does not give diesel vehicle owners a free pass though. The state of Colorado has two programs for providing inspections and maintenance to diesel vehicles and to make sure those vehicles meet the Colorado’s vehicle emissions testing requirements. Diesel Vehicle Fleets of more than 9 vehicles:
