A DIFFERING VIEW: Vapor recovery mandate would ease ozone pollution
Regarding the July 20 column by Vincent Carroll about ozone in Denver (“Ozone surprises,” On Point):
The math for ozone has not changed since I studied it in the 1970s. Hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides in the presence of sunlight produce ozone in urban environments when the air is stagnant.
What if the Front Range smog basin had a new regulation to encourage vacuum systems at our gasoline filling stations? Pollution specialists now request that we fill our cars after sunset. Fumes forced out, as gas goes in, are less of an issue when no sunlight is present to cause the synergistic creation of ozone.
If Colorado wanted to move gently toward hydrocarbon recovery at the pumps, we need the guts to say any station without a “California-style vapor recovery system” would not be allowed to pump gas during daylight hours on ozone alert days.
Steve Schweitzberger is a resident of Littleton.
Wait, what happened to the hole in the ozone layer? More ozone, therefore, shoudl be a good thing. Guess not.
I realize I have a California public education, but that just don't add up.
Posted by prima facie on August 7, 2007 08:02 PM