April 26th,2019

2019 “State of the Air” Report

20th Anniversary Edition

Report Summary

Authored by: Central Valley Air Quality (CVAQ) Coalition

Key Findings:

• The “State of the Air” 2019 Report shows that Americans are already experiencing worsened ozone and particle pollution as a result of our changing climate;
• Bakersfield remains the most polluted city in the nation for short-term particle pollution, and the Fresno/Madera/Hanford metropolitan area remains the 2nd most polluted;
• The Fresno/Madera/Hanford area returned to the rank of most polluted by year-round particle pollution. While Bakersfield experienced improvements, Bakersfield ranked 2nd in year-round particle pollution;
• Los Angeles remains the most ozone-polluted city in the nation, followed by (2nd) Visalia, (3rd) Bakersfield, and (4th) the Fresno/Madera/Hanford region; and
• Those most at risk include children, the elderly, people of color, low-income communities, and individuals with pre-existing conditions.

Ozone Pollution:

• Effects: EPA Concludes Ozone Pollution Poses Serious Health Threats (2013)
  • Causes respiratory harm (worsened asthma, worsened COPD, lung inflammation);
  • Likely to cause early death (both short-term and long-term exposure);
  • May cause harm to the central nervous system; and
  • May cause reproductive and developmental harm.
• Key Report Findings on Ozone:
  • Increased heat as a result of climate change played a major role in the higher number of unhealthy air days;
  • Cities in the West and Southwest continue to dominate the most ozone-polluted list, with California retaining 10/25 slots;
  • The rankings reflect changes where increased oil and gas extraction in the West led to higher pollution, and clean-up of power plants in the eastern U.S. led to less pollution;
  • Los Angeles remains at the top of the list for ozone pollution, followed by Visalia, Bakersfield, and the Fresno/Madera/Hanford region; and
  • Visalia, CA had a higher average of unhealthy days in ozone pollution while Bakersfield had fewer.

Fine Particle Pollution

• Effects: EPA Concludes Fine Particle Pollution Poses Serious Health Threats (2009)
  • Causes early death (both short-term and long-term exposure);
  • Causes cardiovascular harm (e.g. heart attacks, strokes, heart disease, congestive heart failure);
  • Likely to cause respiratory harm ( e.g. worsened asthma, worsened COPD, inflammation);
  • May cause cancer; and
  • May cause reproductive and developmental harm.
• Key Report Findings on Particle Pollution:
  • Increased wildfires as a result of climate change caused spikes in harmful particle pollution;
  • Bakersfield remains the most polluted city in the U.S. for short-term particle pollution;
  • The Fresno/Madera/Hanford region had fewer unhealthy air days than the previously recorded year, but returned to the rank of most polluted for year-round particle pollution; and
  • Bakersfield and Visalia, CA had a decrease in particle pollution, but remain 2nd and 4th most polluted year-round in the U.S.

Key threats to the nation’s progress towards cleaner, healthier air

• Repealing plans to reduce carbon pollution from power plants, as power plants comprise the largest stationary source of carbon pollution in the US;
• Removing limits on methane and other emissions from oil and gas operations, as they emit harmful gases, including volatile organic compounds, and other pollutants;
• Opening doors for more polluting cars and trucks, as pollution from heavy-duty diesel trucks causes cancer, heart attacks, asthma attacks and premature death;
• Weakening the Clean Air Act and its implementation;
• Cutting funding and expertise needed to clean up the air; and
• Denying scientific evidence.

Click here to read the full report…