Utah
Sen. Curtis tells EPA nominees why Utah has unique air quality needs
Sen. John Curtis wants the federal government to recognize that they need to be more flexible on regulations on Utah’s air quality.
“Utah’s unique geography and natural phenomenon require a nuanced approach,” said Curtis.
“Approximately 80% of our ozone comes from ozone emitting from the Earth’s surfaces or from outside of the region. And as Utahns, that means we only control 20% of the ozone in the area,” he noted during the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee confirmation hearings. The committee was considering the nominations of David Fotouhi to be deputy administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and Aaron Szabo to be assistant administrator for the EPA Office of Air and Radiation.
Utah’s elected officials and leaders have committed to improving air quality, and the state is seeing positive results, said Curtis. He added that the “great investments in new technology to improve our air” have also served the state well, as have the Trump administration’s commitment to bringing relief.
“Utah’s Uinta Basin faces similar challenges. Oil and gas production in the region, where we provide affordable, reliable, and clean energy, are burdened by EPA standards, and don’t account for this unique geography that we have in Utah,” he said.
As the Deseret News previously reported, a 2015 revision to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, established by the EPA under the Clean Air Act, lowered the federal threshold for ozone concentrations from 75 parts per billion to 70 ppb, designating areas above that level as “nonattainment” areas. Utah did not meet these standards.
Curtis receives commitments from EPA nominees to address Utah air quality challenges
Despite the progress, Curtis expressed frustration with the Biden White House EPA’s decision to reverse course.
On Dec. 9, 2024, the EPA designated the Northern Wasatch Front and the Uinta Basin as nonattainment areas that did not meet the federal air quality standards.
This type of designation requires state and local governments to develop and implement plans to comply with federal law. It means stricter regulations on industries, vehicle emissions and energy efficiency.
This had a significant economic impact on Utah, Curtis said.
He indicated his concerns about small energy producers in the Uinta Basin struggling to comply with methane regulations due to financial constraints and advocated for a more outcome-based approach to EPA regulation.
He asked Fotouhi and Szabo for a commitment: “Can we count on this flexibility and working with regional administrators to follow their lead in dealing with these tough issues?”
Both the nominees promised to work with the Beehive State to resolve these issues.
Curtis also noted small energy producers in Utah “really struggle to meet the methane regulations.”
“Not out of will, but just simply out of resources,” he said. “And, we find that EPA sometimes has been overly restrictive in how they fix the problem, rather than kind of defining what they want fixed and letting people get there through using different types of technologies.”
The nominees, offered their commitment again to work with regional administrators and avoid prescriptive regulation.
A Utah physician is warning that 21 data centers in various stages of development could significantly worsen air quality along the Wasatch Front.
Dr. Brian Moench, with Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, said the planned data centers are cause for alarm. Each facility is expected to generate its own electricity using natural gas power plants.
While natural gas is cleaner than coal, Moench said it still produces nitrogen oxide, which contributes significantly to ozone, particulate formation, and smog.
“There’s no safe level of air pollution. All of it is harmful, even at the very lowest doses,” Moench said.
Moench said health advocates have legitimate reasons to be concerned about what the facilities could mean for public health in the region.
“There is a real legitimate concern on the part of any health advocates about what this impact will mean to the Wasatch Front and public health if all these data centers are built or even if just a few of them are, and that’s not to address the impact on the Great Salt Lake shrinking up and becoming a toxic dust bowl. That’s the next leg of this argument,” he said.
Moench also raised concerns about electronic waste. As computer chips and equipment become obsolete and are replaced, he said the volume of e-waste produced is something no one has yet addressed.
________
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
UTAH COUNTY, May 11, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Two males, ages 14 and 19, were transported to area hospitals Sunday after the side-by-side they were riding rolled down the side of a mountain.
Utah County Sheriff deputies and Santaquin police responded to the 6:07 p.m. call. Two medical helicopters were called to the scene, in the Pole Canyon area, as was a Department of Public Safety helicopter with a hoist in case it was needed, Sgt. Austin Edwards, Utah County Sheriff‘s Office, told Gephardt Daily.
“Eventually, rescue workers were able to make it to the spot on the hill where the vehicle had come to rest, and they were able to secure the victims, stabilize the victims, and get them back down the hill again to where the helicopters were waiting,” Edwards said.
“The 19-year-old male was transported to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, and the 14 year old was transported to Primary Children’s in Lehi.”
Both were said to have critical injuries, which were not considered to be life threatening, Edwards said.
“The cause of the rollover is still under investigation, so we don’t have that information available just yet.”
Photos: Utah County Sheriff
In what has a chance to be one of the most important nights in Jazz history, the Utah Jazz jumped in the NBA Lottery to the #2 spot for the upcoming NBA draft.
Here are the final results, which show all the movement.
Aside from it being a massive night for the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls, it was a devastating night for a few teams, but no one more than the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, in their trade for Ivica Zubac, had a stipulation on their pick that if the pick was top-4 they kept it. But if it fell below 4, they would give it to the Clippers which is exactly what happened. Now, the Clippers, who are without Zubac, find themselves with a #5 pick to build around.
For the Jazz this is a culmination of four years of rebuilding that ends with an extremely satisfying end. Utah will now have one of the tier-1 players from this draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. The player Utah drafts will be one of their cornerstone pieces and will have the chance to not only play, but be a part of a team that will be competing for the playoffs this season.
The Utah Jazz now have a Sinister Six core: Darryn Peterson (If AJ Dybantsa goes #1), Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler (if he signs). It’s quite the core with a mix of youth and veterans in their prime. With this group, the Jazz will have a chance to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Yes, the Thunder and Spurs are going to be difficult to beat, but Utah has the mix of talent, coaching, and depth that could absolutely do the trick.
Now the Utah Jazz look forward to the NBA Draft that be on June 23rd. Let the posturing begin!!
-
Entertainment4 minutes ago
Is ‘Blue Dot Fever’ a real problem for the concert industry?
-
Lifestyle10 minutes agoWhat the postcards leave out: 5 moments in history that still echo along Route 66
-
Politics16 minutes agoCommentary: Those $1,000 Trump accounts don’t match the hype
-
Science22 minutes ago
Contributor: Fuel drug development, not Big Pharma’s profits
-
Sports28 minutes agoPrep talk: Villa Park pitching duo will be tough to stop in Division 2 baseball playoffs
-
World40 minutes agoEU countries back suspending funding for the Venice Biennale
-
News1 hour agoShip operators involved in Baltimore bridge collapse charged with misconduct and obstruction
-
New York3 hours agoDeadly Gang Feud Left Bystander Paralyzed in Brooklyn
