Particulate Monitors Scrapped

In a move that's sure to put the health of communities in Colorado at greater risk, the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division has scrapped 17 particulate pollution monitors in the state, including monitors in Delta and Gunnison.

Annually, particulate pollution contributes to thousands of premature deaths in the United States. Particulates also aggravate asthma, emphysema, and other respiratory ailments. The state of Colorado claims the monitors are no longer needed because air quality has improved in these areas, but this is no reason to remove air quality monitors.

Even if our air is clean today, that doesn't mean it will always be clean. Case in point is Alamosa, Colorado. Although particulate pollution in Alamosa remained below unhealthy levels between 1996 and 2005, health standards for particulate pollution were exceeded on 7 days in 2006.

Monitoring isn't just needed where air quality is unhealthy. Even in areas with good air quality, monitoring is needed to ensure that it stays that way, to make sure that communities are healthy, not just today, but for years to come. Clean air needs to be kept in check.

A drill rig in Wyoming's Red Desert spews black particulate pollution.

This sensible approach is especially needed in the face of booming oil and gas development in Colorado. With the influx of oil and gas drilling, particulate pollution is on the rise. Communities with clean air today could very well face the prospect of unhealthy air tomorrow.

The Colorado Air Pollution Control Division should rethink its decision to scrap particulate monitors, especially in light of looming threats to clean air from unchecked oil and gas development.