Air Pollution Taking Toll on Wind River Range
Wyoming’s Wind River Range is one of the most spectacular places in the Northern Rockies and a destination for backpackers and mountaineers worldwide. Portions of the Winds became wilderness areas in the original 1964 Wilderness Act.
These spectacular peaks and alpine areas once had some of the best air quality in the nation. Unfortunately, extensive natural gas drilling in the nearby Upper Green River Valley is dramatically reducing visibility, acidifying lakes, and soon could harm human health.
Today, the Winds often are obscured by smog from just a few miles away.
We are working with local residents and groups such as the Upper Green River Valley Coalition to protect air quality along the Winds and in nearby areas such as Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks by urging the Bureau of Land Management to take a more balanced approach that would provide energy but uphold our precious air quality.
For More Information
- Bob Ekey, Director, Northern Rockies Regional Office, The Wilderness Society, 406-586-1600
