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Contacts:
Andrew Weisser, (818) 703-6444
aweisser@earthlink.net
or your local American Lung Association
at (800) LUNG-USA. www.californialung.org
34 California Counties Flunk Annual American Lung Association
Clean Air Test
State of the Air 2002 Highlights "F" Grades for
400 Counties Throughout U.S. and Nation’s Need to Enforce
Clean Air Act
For a copy of the report, visit http://www.lungusa.org/air2001/states/s_california02.html.
(May 1, 2002, Oakland, CA) More than 29.6 million California
residents are breathing dirty air, as the outdoor air in 34 counties
received an "F" for ozone air pollution (smog), according
to the American Lung Association’s annual State
of the Air report, based upon the most recent quality assured
data (1998-2000) from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
These figures compare with just more than 29 million Californians
in 33 counties in last year’s report and 28.1 million Californians
in the same 33 counties the previous year.
The Association handed out "F" grades to nearly 400
counties that represent 75 percent of the nation’s population
living in counties with ozone monitors. The number of Americans
living in areas that received an "F" increased by more
than 875,000 since last year’s report. The findings are compounded
by the reality that, due to a series of legal and management issues,
states are relying on weak federal clean air standards in place
since 1979. The report marks the beginning of the American Lung
Association’s annual Clean Air Month campaign.
For the third straight year, the top four most ozone-polluted
metropolitan areas were in California: Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange
County; Bakersfield; Fresno and Visalia-Tulare-Porterville. The
state also has the five most ozone-polluted counties: San Bernardino
has been number 1 three years in a row; Kern, comes in at number
2 this year, after claiming the number 3 spot for the previous
two years.
Fresno moves up to number 3 after two years as the fourth-most
polluted county, Riverside is number 4, after two years as the
second-most polluted county; and Tulare, number five for the second
year in a row.
In addition, Sacramento was added to the list of the 25 most
ozone-polluted counties. Although still receiving an "F,"
Imperial was eliminated from the top 25 most ozone-polluted county
list. The only California County that experienced a grade change
from the 2001 report to the 2002 report was Butte which fell from
a "C" to an "F." There is one bright spot
on the California horizon: Salinas, which continues to rank among
the least ozone-polluted cities in the nation.
The list of California counties receiving "F" grades
in the report is as follows (in alphabetical order): Alameda,
Amador, Butte (first time receiving an "F"), Calaveras,
Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles,
Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento,
San Bernardino (worst county rating nationwide), San Diego, San
Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Shasta,
Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura
and Yolo.
"Despite progress from our efforts to improve our air
quality, we have much left to do; Californians’ health remains
threatened by air pollution," said John Balmes, M.D., President
of the California Thoracic Society, the medical section of the
American Lung Association of California." This report rates
only the level of ozone air pollution and does not consider other
types of pollution such as particulate matter. The Report also
does not take into consideration the important efforts to improve
air quality that have been made by a number of air districts.
"But, unfortunately, from both a state and national perspective,
the reported results make it clear that as a society we must get
serious about enforcing all of the provisions of the Clean Air
Act and resisting any attempts to weaken State or Federal clean
air laws. We still have a long way to go to give children and
adults safe air to breathe coast to coast."
Among those metropolitan areas scoring Fs, six of the 10 most
ozone-polluted areas are in California, including the top four
(top 10 list follows in descending order): (Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange
County; Bakersfield; Fresno; Visalia-Tulare-Porterville; Houston-Galveston-Brazoria,
TX; Atlanta, GA; Merced; Knoxville, TN; Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock
Hill, NC-SC; and Sacramento-Yolo).
Diesel exhaust contributes to the development of ozone air pollution
and is part responsible for some of the failing grades. In response,
the American Lung Association of California continues its statewide
ad campaign to raise public awareness about the health dangers
of diesel exhaust. The Spanish and English print ads say "There’s
Even More You Should Know About Diesel," because "Diesel
Exhaust Contributes to Bronchitis, Asthma Attacks and Lung Cancer."
The campaign was created and donated by Ground Zero, a Los Angeles-based
ad agency The ads may be viewed and/or downloaded at: http://californialung.org/spotlight/cleanair01_ads.html.
State of the Air 2002 examines ozone air quality data
for 1998-2000, which are the most recent quality-assured data
from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The report
grades and ranks counties on how often their air quality reaches
"unhealthful" categories of the EPA’s Air Quality
Index for ozone air pollution.
Ozone is a highly reactive form of oxygen that results primarily
from the action of sunlight on hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides
emitted in fuel combustion. Ozone levels typically rise between
May and October when higher temperatures and increased amount
of sunlight combine with the stagnant atmospheric conditions that
are associated with ozone smog episodes. Even relatively low ozone
levels can affect even healthy people’s ability to breathe,
leading to shortness of breath, chest pain when inhaling deeply,
wheezing and coughing. This year, new studies were released for
the first time showing a link between ozone and the onset of asthma.
Long-term exposure can result in reduced breathing ability and
increases the risk of respiratory disease later in life.
"We must do more to cut motor vehicle emissions significantly
to bring ozone levels down so that it’s safe for children,
the elderly, people with chronic lung disease such as asthma,
and even healthy adults to spend time outdoors on warm, sunny
days," Balmes said. "Cleaner options than driving a
standard car with a single occupant are available now."
The American Lung Association of California has been working
hard to reduce emissions from gasoline and diesel powered cars,
buses and trucks by advocating the steady transition to cleaner
fuels such as natural gas, electricity and fuel cells. It has
encouraged the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to require
transit districts to phase out the use of diesel and strongly
supports diesel regulations that will significantly limit tailpipe
emissions from heavy-duty diesel buses and trucks and require
less polluting diesel fuel. It is also advocating for strict controls
to limit emissions from non-road heavy-duty diesel engines and
fuels, as well as controls that will clean up old power plants
that have escaped emissions compliance.
The American Lung Association reminds individuals, companies
and organizations that everyone can make a difference in the fight
against air pollution by carpooling, bicycling, offering incentives
for using cleaner transportation, encouraging employees to telecommute
and purchasing company vehicles and buses powered by zero-emission
and low-emission fuels such as natural gas, electricity and fuel
cells. People can receive reduced rental and purchase prices for
such vehicles, through a partnership between the American Lung
Association of California and EV Rental Cars, by visiting www.californialung.org.
The American Lung Association asks concerned citizens to contact
President Bush and Congress to state their opposition to weakening
the Clean Air Act, whether by weakening EPA enforcement or by
rolling back important protections of the Act. Such contact can
be made through www.californialung.org.
The American Lung Association® has been fighting lung disease
for nearly 100 years. With the generous support of the public
and the help of volunteers, the Lung Association has seen many
advances against lung disease. However, the work is not finished.
As the Lung Association looks forward to its second century, it
will continue to strive to make breathing easier for everyone
through programs of education, community service, advocacy, and
research. American Lung Association® activities are supported
by donations to Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa Seals® and
other voluntary contributions. People may obtain additional information
by contacting their local American Lung Association at 1 (800)
LUNG-USA (which automatically connects callers to their local
American Lung Association) or www.californialung.org
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Related Links:
Clean
Air Month -- May 2002
There's Even More You Should Know About Diesel
The State of the Air 2002:
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