Letter: It isn’t just cars that pollute our air
(Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune) View of tower at Gateway in foreground, Trax station mid-frame with emissions of oil refineries in North Salt Lake behind. Welcome to January weather limbo. Alternating days of storms blow polluted air out of the Salt Lake valley followed by a build up of stagnant air that allow pm 2.5 to build up again.
I recently drove from Salt Lake to West Bountiful. While driving past the refineries in North Salt Lake, I could actually taste the air. This makes me wonder how much these industrial plants contribute to our poor air quality.
Currently, car emissions receive the brunt of the blame, and the refineries are never mentioned. I would hope the state monitors their chimney emissions on a regular basis and enforces tight standards. But, if I can taste the air near the refineries, that tells me there’s room for improvement.
Peggy Clark, Salt Lake City
Submit a letter to the editor
sltrib.com is now free to access — no subscription required. We made this decision because we believe access to trustworthy, independent news shouldn’t depend on what you can afford — especially as misinformation and AI-generated content continue to rise.
Free to read doesn’t mean free to produce. Our reporters show up every day to ask hard questions and hold powerful institutions to account. That work takes resources. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on support from people who believe it matters. Make a donation today to fund local news that serves Utah communities.
You can help us bring more local news to more communities today.