Air Quality Alerts in Colorado, Texas, and Arizona Prompt Driving Reductions
Residents in Colorado, Texas, and Arizona are being advised to limit driving due to elevated ground-level ozone levels, which pose health risks. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued air quality alerts, urging people to reduce the use of gas and diesel vehicles to help decrease ozone pollution. In Colorado, the Department of Public Health and Environment has declared an 'Ozone Action Day Alert' for the Front Range Urban Corridor, warning that ozone levels could reach 'Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.' Similarly, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has issued an Ozone Action Day for El Paso, and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has issued an Ozone High Pollution Advisory for Maricopa County, including the Phoenix metro area. The extreme heat in Phoenix, with temperatures expected to reach 105°F to 110°F, exacerbates the situation by facilitating the chemical reactions that form ozone.