|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winter High Pollution Season Begins;
State Survey Provides New Information on Residential Woodburning
|
|
|
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment prepared
the following article on the winter High Pollution Season, the High Pollution
Advisory Program, and the outcome of the 2002 State Woodburning
Survey. Any local municipality is free to use the below article for
community newsletters, newspapers, or web sites. If you have questions,
please contact Christopher Dann, State Health Department, at 303-692-3281 or
Sara O'Keefe, RAQC, at 303-629-5450, ext. 220.
|
- - -
The
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will issue the
first color-coded air quality advisory of the wintertime High Pollution
Season on Thursday afternoon, October 31.
The
Regional Air Quality Council supports the five-month long effort by
notifying municipalities within the seven-county Denver-metropolitan
program area of the current advisory every afternoon.
Respondents
to a recent survey indicated a high level of awareness of both the
program throughout the metropolitan area, and the actions either
encouraged or required when certain advisories are in effect.
Blue
advisories indicate good or moderate air quality conditions are expected
and no restrictions are in place. Red
advisories are issued when air quality conditions are poor or are
expected to worsen. Red
advisories trigger restrictions that limit residential woodburning to
approved devices only.
Despite
the high level of program recognition, the survey also revealed that a
fair amount of confusion still exists about where and to whom
restrictions apply. Although
exemptions exist for the small percentage of residents that live above
7,000' in elevation, live east of Kiowa Creek or have received
permission to burn wood as a primary residential heat source, it is
illegal to burn in unapproved devices in the remainder of the
seven-county metropolitan area.
Officials
at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment believe much
of the confusion has arisen from the wide variety of jurisdictions that
are responsible for enforcing the woodburning restrictions.
If
a municipal ordinance exists, the enforcement responsibility lies with
the local government. However,
lack of a local ordinance does not exempt a community from the
restrictions. When no local ordinance exists, enforcement simply
remains with the State of Colorado.
All restrictions remain in effect.
Municipal
government representatives are encouraged to provide information
regarding the program and its requirements to inquiring residents,
especially those new to the community.
If your community does not have a local ordinance that restricts
woodburning activity under a "Red" advisory, please remind
your constituents that woodburning restrictions still apply.
###
Return to Top
