Director's Message
Mark Simonich
Former DEQ Director
July 1, 1995 - December 31, 2000
Citizens' Guide Table of Contents
We, as citizens of the state of Montana, are indeed lucky: lucky each day to wake and breathe fresh clean crisp air and to view breathtaking scenic vistas extending across the plains to the mountains. Visitors to Montana from around the country, from around the world, marvel at our pristine air quality, and how we, the citizens of Montana, strive to keep our state, our home, "The last best place." Vigilance and an informed public are required to maintain the quality of life we in Montana expect and demand. All Montanans must participate to keep the balance between Montana's need for economic growth and the desire to protect the environment.
Our mission, as employees of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), is to provide future generations a clean and healthful environment. That is why the staff here at DEQ is proud to present this Citizens' Guide to Air Quality. This Guide can be used to educate and to move each of us into becoming an active participant making informed decisions about Montana's environmental future. As decision-makers, citizens will then come to realize how finite resources must be allocated to meet a variety of important needs. Public participation is essential to ensure that future generations have and enjoy the same economic and environmental opportunities we have and enjoy today.
Our pristine environment is something we must not take for granted. I hope this Guide will help the public understand their role in determining Montana's air quality priorities as we head into the next millennium. I wish to extend my special thanks to the Monitoring and Data Management Bureau staff for all their hard work in producing this manual; and I encourage all Montanans to contact the bureau if you have questions or concerns about any information contained within this report.
