We Thank You For Your Cooperation

Interesting. Salt Lake City ozone pollution is driven to an unusual extent by hydrocarbon emissions from the refineries at the north end of the city, so, if pollution levels have dropped, it may well be the oil industry that is to be congratulated for their diligent compliance with air pollution rules. And, to the extent that people are actually driving less, it is probably because the recession has basically left them too broke to drive:

The Utah Division of Air Quality said Monday its data from the 2010 ozone-pollution season showed a downward trend in the number days when ozone topped federal limits and became unhealthy. In Salt Lake and Davis Counties, there were five “red” air-quality days, when ozone made the air unhealthy, and there were 18 “yellow” days, when high pollution threatened to become unhealthy.

Cheryl Heying, director of DAQ thanked the public for its role in reducing ozone pollution by driving less and reducing the vehicle exhaust, which creates ozone pollution when it mixes with sunlight and heat.

“Although weather has a lot to do with the fact that we are seeing a decline in ozone,” she said, “I do believe that the public has become more responsive and aware of the need to drive smarter on days when pollution builds.”