2024-04-25 06:02:38
Four of the nine New Mexico counties evaluated in the annual State of the Air report received failing points for ozone pollution. The counties with failing scores were Bernalillo, Doña Ana, Eddy and San Juan. The annual State of the Air report looks at ozone and particulate pollution in more than 200 metropolitan statistical areas […]
Four of the nine New Mexico counties included in the annual State of the Air report received falling points for ozone pollution.
The counties with failing scores were Bernalillo, Doña Ana, Eddy and San Juan.
The annual State of the Air report looks at ozone and particulate pollution in more than 200 metropolitan statistical areas. The American Lung Association began releasing its State of the Air report in 2000.
The American Lung Association assigns letter grades to counties based on air pollution.
Lea and Sandoval counties received D grades for ozone.
Of the nine New Mexico counties included in this year’s report, Rio Arriba County had the best grade for ozone pollution—a B.
Santa Fe and Valencia counties received C grades.
Only five counties in New Mexico were evaluated for particulate matter pollution. Of these, the counties of Bernalillo and Doña Ana received failing scores.
The report ranked the El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces region as the 15th worst ozone polluter in the country and the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Cruces region as the 21st worst ozone polluter.
Nationwide trends
Ozone pollution tends to be worse in the western and southwestern United States. Ten of the 25 most polluted metropolitan areas are in California, while 12 others are in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas or Utah.
This comes even as efforts are underway to reduce ozone precursor pollution.
But climate change is leading to higher temperatures, dry conditions and sunny skies as well as more frequent stagnation events. The American Lung Association says these factors contribute to the number of unhealthy ozone days.
“Climate change is simply undermining the progress we would have made,” the report said.
Communities of color are more likely to face unhealthy air pollution. The report found that while people of color make up 41.6 percent of the country’s population, they represent 52 percent of people living in countries with unhealthy air.
When it comes to places with the worst air quality, about 63 percent of the 44 million residents are people of color.
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