Front-page headline in the Herald on Oct. 22: “Durango experienced 62 elevated ozone days in 2020.” When I read that headline, I’m like wow, that sounds really bad.
After reading through the article, I see the findings are from an environmental organization, Environment Colorado, report that looked at actual ozone monitoring data and then compared those data to a World Health Organization guideline of 51 parts per billion of ozone. The author noted in the article that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard for ozone is 70 ppb.
This WHO guideline is 27% lower than the EPA standard that is highly protective of human health and the environment. Having worked in the field of air-quality monitoring and compliance for nearly 40 years, I have seen air-quality data reported and used in ways that are misleading and only serve to further the group or person’s agenda or mission.
Fact of the matter is, Southwest Colorado has really good air quality! When the same monitoring data are compared to the EPA ozone standard, there have been zero exceedances of that standard in the last three years.
So, 62 days vs. zero, that is quite a big difference when looking at the air we breathe. The actual headline should read “Durango experienced zero elevated ozone days in 2020.” Rest assured neighbors, we live in an area with really good air quality, especially when compared to many other parts of the country.
Gary Magno
Hesperus
