Newcomers to the Denver area enjoy the blue skies and clean air, and many move here from areas that do not have such advantages. In the 1980s, the pollution was thick and the tops of downtown buildings could not be seen from street level. There were red alert days, and the elderly were told to stay inside, respiratory patients filled emergency rooms, and mandatory no-drive days were considered.
The clean air we breathe now did not happen by accident. Oxygenated fuels composed of 10 percent alcohol went into every gas pump; mandatory tail pipe inspections also helped; street sweeping methods changed; highway department vehicles switched to natural gas; and alternative fuels were investigated by RTD and the trucking industry.
Yes, special interests did not welcome all of this, but gradually our air has improved. The scientists at the National Renewable Energy Lab were a big part of the comeback. Every effort needs to be made to keep NREL fully funded.
Kevin Sampson, Denver
The writer is a former member of the Denver Metro Air Quality Council.
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