California Still Smoggiest State According to Report -- California Capitol Hill Bulletin -- Volume 10, Bulletin 14 -- May 15, 2003

Being home to nine out of the nation's top 10 worst ozone-ridden counties, the prevalence of smog in California exceeds the levels of other states, according to the American Lung Association's Annual 2003 State of the Air report. The report, released in late April using EPA data on how often counties and metropolitan areas exceed federal health standards for ozone, shows that the number of California residents breathing unhealthful air has grown by at least four 4 million over that recorded last year.

Smog or ground-level ozone, caused by the sun's heating of tailpipe emissions containing hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, is known to cause shortness of breath and asthma among children. It is monitored and regulated by Air Quality Management Districts, which have determined that the five most ozone polluted counties are San Bernardino, Fresno, Kern, Tulare and Riverside.

The report also examines the level of smog in metropolitan areas. It names Los Angeles as the smoggiest city in America, with Fresno, Bakersfield and Visalia rounding out the top four. The good news, however, is that San Francisco remains among the nation's largest cities with the best air, while Orange County's air quality levels improved slightly.

Some analysts have spoken out in opposition to the report, arguing that the numbers are exaggerated and skewed to not take into consideration significant improvements in air quality. For instance, California's air quality has improved by 24 percent since the 1980s, double the national rate. On the other hand, smog and air quality remain a major problem in cities, with Los Angeles alone registering 106 days of substandard air between 1999 and 2001.

For more information on this report, visit the American Lung Association website at http://www.lungusa.org .

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