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ALA’s “State of the Air 2014” report uses data gathered from 2,531 official air monitors overseen by state, tribes, and national parks. This year the report focuses on data from 2010, 2011, and 2012, whereas the 2013 report did the same for 2009, 2010, and 2011. The report provides analysis of ozone, year-round PM2.5, and short-term PM2.5.
First the good news. Nationally, our air is improving with both ozone and PM2.5 decreasing over the long term. The ALA credits stronger standards for the improvement, such as those resulting in lower emissions from coal-fired power plants, as well as the increased use of cleaner diesel fuels and engines in the transportation sector. According to the report, some of the positive trends continuing during the 2010–2012 period may be due to the fact that “many places made strong progress over 2009–2011, particularly in lower year-round levels of particle pollution.” In fact, the report notes that 13 of the 25 cities with the worst year-round particle pollution—including Los Angeles, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, and Bakersfield —reached their lowest levels on record.
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With respect to short-term particle pollution, “two thirds of the most-polluted metro areas recorded fewer unhealthy days on average than in 2009–2011,” with seven experiencing the fewest days on average in the history of the report.
Now for the bad news. Even in light of the long-term progress, “the most-polluted cities failed to meet the official limits, or standard, for year-round particle pollution.” Five of the nation’s 25 most-polluted cities reported higher particle pollution levels, and Fresno-Madera, CA, earned the dubious distinction of becoming the nation’s most polluted metropolitan area thanks to its high levels of year-round particle pollution. In addition, the ALA report noted that three of the most-polluted cities maintained the lowest levels reported in previous years, which the ALA says signals “stalled progress toward healthier air.”
Even as short-term particle pollution is trending downward nationally, nine metropolitan areas saw increased short-term particle days compared to the 2013 report, including San Francisco, Chicago, Phoenix, Indianapolis, New York City, and Lancaster, PA. Of these, three cities set records for the most average number of days ever—El Paso, TX;Las Cruces, NM; Missoula, MT; and Yakima, WA.
Ozone pollution went up considerably for the 2010–2012 period, which the ALA says is likely a result of higher temperatures in 2010 and 2012. Of the nation’s 25 most ozone-polluted cities in the 2014 report, 22 had more high ozone days on average when compared to the 2013 report, including New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles, the latter of which remains the nation’s worst city for ozone pollution.
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Overall, almost one-half of U.S. residents, or about 147.6 million, live in counties with unhealthy levels of either ozone or particle pollution. About 8.9 percent of the population, or 27.8 million people, reside in 17 counties with unhealthy levels of all pollutants measured. High year-round particle pollution impacts 46.2 million U.S. residents, and more than 44.1 million live with too many days of short-term particle pollution.
To find out how your air compares to the rest of the nation, go to http://www.stateoftheair.org/2014/key-findings.