On January 2, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) released its Annual State of the Environment Report, which offers a comprehensive overview of the agency’s 2018 activities and initiatives that bolstered Utah’s environment, quality of life, and economy.
Highlights of the report include:
- The Logan PM2.5 Nonattainment Area became the first PM2.5 nonattainment area in the state to reach attainment since the standard was tightened in 2006;
- DEQ led a collaborative, multi-entity response to more than 25 reported harmful algal blooms across the state, which included sampling at more than 800 sites;
- The Division of Drinking Water provided $16.9 million in financial assistance to drinking water system construction projects across the state;
- The Division of Water Quality provided approximately $200 million in financial assistance for construction, upgrades, and advanced treatment systems for six wastewater treatment plant facilities;
- DEQ facilitated the cleanups of contaminated or potentially contaminated lands that paved the way for construction of new housing; and
- DEQ facilitated cleanup operations for two Superfund sites, which EPA delisted this year.
Read the full report here.
