Demonstrators rally for clean air outside Logan Library

Men, women and children gathered in front of the Logan Library on Saturday to show support for legislation to clean up Utah’s air.

The clean air rally was one of four that took place throughout the state including one in St. George, Moab and Salt Lake City.

Kate Stephens, a volunteer for the nonpartisan environmental group Utah Moms for Clean Air and rally participant said her daughter Maya has asthma, which is effected by the air quality.

“I’m here because I’m a mom and my daughter has to miss recess on a regular basis during the winter months,” Stephens said. “She’s a really active kid, who loves playing soccer and swinging on the monkey bars and jumping rope, and having smoggy day recess is just not okay for our kids.”

Stephens said Utah Moms for Clean Air is one of the main sponsors for rally in Salt Lake City, and she helped facilitate the Logan rally.

Maya said she came because so she can play outside with her friends.

“I have asthma, and it hurts my lungs if there’s bad air,” she said.

Maya was among several people who held signs promoting clean air activities and legislation such as “Clean air for recess” and “Take the bus. … It’s free.”

Edward Redd, Logan representative for the state legislature, answered questions about various air-quality issues in Utah, including legislation about wood burning stoves.

“We are not going to pass any legislation in the foreseeable future that would completely ban wood-burning stoves,” Redd said. “It’s not going to happen.”

Redd said some legislators are considering a ban on stoves that are not certified by the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA. He said this is not a bad idea, but it is not the solution to air-quality problems.

“When we have inversions going on, and they’re going to last for longer than two or three days, even EPA-certified stoves are part of the problem,” Redd said.

Redd said Cache Valley and the Wasatch Front have wood-burning restrictions on red-air days and voluntary measures on yellow air days, but there is no clear definition for the difference between the two.

“What’s the cut point for that?” Redd asked. “How … we determine that I think is open for further investigation and evaluation.”

— topherwriter@gmail.com