Air pollution in the state of Utah is a serious problem, especially along the Wasatch Front, when inversions generate some of the worst air quality in the nation. The good news, however, is that improving air quality can produce substantive, positive results in public health.
The University of Southern California recently published its groundbreaking Children’s Health Study, which tracked more than 2,000 children in and around the Los Angeles area during three separate time frames over the past two decades. They found that “long-term improvements in air quality were associated with statistically and clinically positive effects on lung-function growth in children." Consequently, children growing up in Southern California today have up to 10 percent more lung capacity than those who lived there 20 years ago.
This study has clear implications for those living in the Salt Lake Valley. The improvements in lung function were tied to lower levels of particulate pollution known as PM2.5 and PM10, which unfortunately are plentiful in Utah’s pollution mix. Were Utah able to achieve the kind of reforms they’ve been able to accomplish in California, those particulates would be impacted, and we could expect to see positive results, too.
However, it’s also important to recognize that there are differences between the two states that are noteworthy. California’s air quality problems extend throughout the entire year, while Utah’s are focused around seasonal variations, so a long-term reduction may not yield the kind of improved percentages that California has enjoyed. But the fundamental principle remains the same: active regulatory steps to reduce pollution are not empty gestures, and they have cost-effective, real-world benefits.
That’s a difficult conclusion for some to accept, as many in Utah are wary of any governmental intrusion into business practices, even for the purposes of producing cleaner air. But one of the remarkable things about this study is that it was partially funded by the Health Effects Institute, which is a public/private partnership between the federal government and the auto industry. When even carmakers recognize the importance of producing clean air in order to protect the health of children, it becomes clear that this is one issue that transcends binary partisan politics.
Of course, every measure taken by government ought to include a cost-benefit analysis, and some methods will be more effective than others. This is not a call for alarmism or extravagant spending of taxpayer money. Rather, it’s a recognition that efforts to fight air pollution need not be futile. This study demonstrates that it is possible for legislation to have a positive impact on public health. Replicating those benefits ought to be a top priority for Utah.