Gov. Herbert concerned about upcoming inversions

FILE - This Jan. 4, 2013, file photo, shows the haze from an inversion hanging over downtown Salt Lake City. A study from the University of Utah shows people drive more on days when bad air quality alerts are issued even though the system was created to limit use of cars. Professor Harvey Miller, author of the study, says 10 years of state traffic counter data shows more cars going up mountain canyons on days in which state officials issued bad air alerts. Miller believes people are escaping the murky air for the clean air of the nearby Wasatch Mountains. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

With winter arriving a lot of Utahns are concerned about clean air. On his monthly Let Me Speak to the Governor radio program Thursday, Utah Governor Gary Herbert addressed that issue.

He said billions of dollars have been spent by industries in the state to make sure the air is clean. But he said there is still work to do.

“I’m concerned about individuals that are not taking on their own responsibilities and blaming it all on industry,” Herbert said. “That won’t clean up the air.”

Herbert went on to say that there are some positive things to look forward to on the horizon that may help reduce air pollution in Utah.

“The good news is we have tier three automobiles that are going to be coming on board,” he explained, “and we have an opportunity to buy a cleaner-burning automobile and hopefully in a couple of years put in cleaner-burning fuel.

“That’s the best thing we can do because half of all the pollution we see out there during inversion days comes out of tailpipes.”

The governor said unfortunately there are usually 18-20 days to worry about clean air, from mid-December to mid-February. He said legislators will likely be talking about what more can be done when they meet in January.

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