A federal program that seeks to improve air quality across Colorado’s national parks and wilderness areas was the subject of intense debate Wednesday in Denver.
The regional haze rule affects 12 wilderness areas across Colorado including places like Rocky Mountain National Park. Regulators want to update the program to get more input from federal land managers, and extend the deadline for states to comply with future changes.
"There would be significant public health impacts of a strong haze rule," said clean air advocate Cherelle Blazer, who traveled to the meeting from Texas.
But the move raises questions for Will Allison, head of Colorado’s Air Pollution Control Division.
“We think it’s important to maintain the state’s role in certifying visibility impairment at national parks, and not simply cede that authority to federal land managers," Allison said.
Managers of coal-fired power plants say previous versions of the rule have been expensive. Tri-State Generation and Transmission is spending millions installing air pollution controls at its power plant near Craig, Colorado.
"It’s important that those reductions be credited and that further reductions aren’t required," said Tri-State manager of environmental services Lyle Witham.
The current federal program for addressing regional haze in Colorado expires in 2018. It has helped to reduce tens of thousands of tons of air pollutants like nitrogen oxide in the state.
You want to know what is really going on these days, especially in Colorado. We can help you keep up. The Lookout is a free, daily email newsletter with news and happenings from all over Colorado. Sign up here and we will see you in the morning!
Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado. Listen now.
Join us for these upcoming events!
It takes a good day’s drive to cover Colorado, but we’ll help you do it in a few minutes. Our newsletters bring you a closer look at the stories that affect you and the music that inspires you.