Pollution

Coal from Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming could go to revived coal plants and be exported through a new port in California.

We talk with award-winning journalist and podcast host Cristina Quinn about her new podcast "Fighting Crime."

The toxic byproduct left after coal is burned for electricity is often stored in ponds or landfills near power plants. Currently, those sites have to monitor for if nearby groundwater is contaminated.

Carbon storage wells act like giant straws, injecting carbon dioxide deep underground instead of releasing it into the atmosphere. The Rocky Mountain region has become a hub for these projects.

Utah's capital is one of several Mountain West cities with high ozone pollution, commonly known as smog. Higher temperatures, wildfires, and geography can all make pollution worse.

The Environmental Protection Agency was supposed to identify areas that don't meet updated pollution standards. A coalition of environmental groups is suing over the missed deadline.

Los Angeles and smog have been synonymous for decades. But the last smog alert happened in 2003, and lead has virtually disappeared from the air.

Nature access doesn't just mean who lives near a park or trees — with a close connection to issues like income and pollution exposure, it can also mean who has access to clean air and water.

Today we talk with Caroline Fraser, author of the new book "Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers."

In other news, Utah's air quality has improved in the last two decades, even with its population doubling. And, tracking vehicles without consent is illegal in Utah — but what about people?