Clean air is essential for strong communities and quality of life.  Air quality is influenced by many human activities and natural phenomena.  Western states have generated significant emissions reductions since the Clean Air Act was originally passed in 1963.  Only by working together to understand and address air quality challenges in the West will states and federal partners make further improvements to air quality.  This resolution presents Western Governors’ recommendations to improve state-federal cooperation in the regulation of air quality, ozone and particulate matter, exceptional events, regional haze, methane, and hydrofluorocarbon emissions.  The resolution also expresses support for the increased use of prescribed fire to reduce the air quality effects of uncharacteristic wildfire in the West, and encourages greater state-federal collaboration on smoke management planning and other tools to facilitate the use of prescribed fire where appropriate. Read, download the resolution.