Even though we just finished one of the worst air inversions in the Salt Lake Valley in recent years, we should not make the mistake of complacency. Just like the yearly U. of U./BYU sports rivalries, we know that Utah’s air pollution is sure to return, which is why we need to work as hard as we can to facilitate solutions.

While we recognize that Utahns’ cars and homes are a significant source of dirty air, we also know that many of Utah’s biggest industries remain major contributors. This category includes Kennecott Copper, cement plants, power plants, and Utah’s five oil refineries along the Wasatch Front.

Last fall, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment joined with our allies at HEAL Utah and Western Resource Advocates in petitioning Utah’s Air Quality Board to consider three new proposed air quality rules. These rules are designed to reduce emissions from large point sources of air pollution, something we believe is necessary to attenuate and help prevent bad air days, better enforce existing clean air laws, and ensure that emissions from new pollution sources are offset by emission reductions elsewhere within a facility. These proposed rules are as follows:

Prevent bad air days: Impose 24-hour limits on our biggest industrial polluters to prevent short-term spikes in emissions, particularly on days with already impaired air quality.

Require daily monitoring by big polluters: Mandate continuous emission monitoring and annual stack testing where feasible (versus every three to five years), so that state officials and the public have greater confidence that industry is not polluting more than it is allowed.

Ensure all substantial new industry pollution increases have offsets: Require facilities to find offsets (emission decreases) for all sizable emission increases, to ensure their overall pollution doesn’t add up to create major air pollution.

Many varied stakeholders were consulted as these rules were drafted last year, before presenting them to the Air Quality Board. Rather than just shooting from the hip, we felt a transparent, reasoned approach was better.

Contrary to the behind-closed-doors deal-making, which frequently goes into proposed legislation, resulting in bills getting either severely weakened or disapproved with little or no public oversight, the public process required by the Air Quality Board is completely transparent and open to all members of the public. In other words, the Air Quality Board wants to hear from you.

In order for this to happen, the Air Quality Board must first decide to formally consider these rules and then start a public process in which the public gets an opportunity to study the issue and submit comments.

As physicians, we see literally every day the detrimental effects of our dirty, polluted air. It is gut-wrenching to witness a 5-year-old struggle for every breath, knowing that his or her life will never be normal, or worse, that their life will be dramatically shortened by something that is of no fault of their own.

We owe it to Utahns to take all measures as necessary to clean up our dirty air and give everyone a fighting chance to lead a normal, healthy life. Politicians can talk jobs and economic development all they want. But the real key to a healthy economy is a healthy populace, and a welcoming environment that says “clean and healthy” on first glance to all visitors.

We urge the Utah Air Quality Board to formally consider these proposed rules and to allow the public to weigh in. That would be the proactive approach to this severe health crisis, something that is long overdue.

Dr. Richard Kanner is a pulmonologist and professor of medicine at the University of Utah, and also served on the Utah Department of Air Quality Board from 1988 to 1997. He is a founding board member of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment.

Dr. Ellie Brownstein is a board-certified pediatrician and works for the University of Utah Community Clinics, and teaches part time at the School of Medicine. She serves on the board of directors for Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment.

Dr. Howie Garber is an emergency physician and has worked in large and small hospitals throughout the Western U.S. and Alaska. He is a founding board member of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment.