Nationwide and Regional Analysis
| American Lung Association State of the Air: 2003 finds many changes in counties’ ozone ratings, most of them favorable: 93 counties saw their ratings improve by at least one grade, while 26 counties received lower grades this year. Some of the changes were quite impressive: San Luis Obispo, California, for instance, jumped from an F in 2002 to an A this year. In Oregon, four counties rose from Cs and Bs to receive an A rating this year. In Florida, 13 counties received higher grades this year compared with last year, as did seven counties in South Carolina. Some states saw their grades worsen. |
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In Maine, three counties received lower grades this year, as did in two in Massachusetts. In New York, five counties received lower grades in 2003, as did seven counties in Wisconsin. The following discussions of states are grouped by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency region. More detailed summaries of the ozone problems in each region are contained in Appendix B.
Region 1: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut
As noted above, three counties in Maine received lower grades this year, as did two in Massachusetts. In Rhode Island, Providence County saw its grade drop from a D to an F. None of these states had counties on the list of the 25 most ozone-polluted counties or cities. However, every state in the region except Vermont had at least two counties with the grade of F, including all monitored counties in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. New England (Region 1) is one of two regions (along with Region 2) that showed some widespread decline in grades from the 2002 report.
Region 2: New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico
In New York, air quality in five counties declined during this period, so their grades dropped from those in the 2002 report. Camden County, New Jersey came in at number 24 of the 25 most ozone-polluted counties, despite its slight reduction in the number of high ozone days. Region 2 also showed some decline in grades from the 2002 report.
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The New York metropolitan area (including northern New Jersey and Long Island, four counties in Connecticut and one in Pennsylvania) was the 14th most ozone-polluted city—New York ranked 20th last year.
Puerto Rico. Although Puerto Rico is part of Region 2, ozone has not been a problem there. The island setting provides Puerto Rico with natural defenses against ozone formation. No records for 1999 emissions in Puerto Rico are included in the National Emissions Trends database. |
Region 3: Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, and Virginia
Virginia and West Virginia saw improvement in one county each. Anne Arundel County, Maryland, was the 18 th most ozone-polluted county this year; Harford County, Maryland, came in at number 25 on the list of the top 25 most ozone-polluted counties, jumping from number 50 last year. Washington D.C./Baltimore, Maryland was the 11th most ozone-polluted city for the second year in a row; Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, Pennsylvania-Delaware-New Jersey was number 13; and Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, Pennsylvania, ranked 35th last year, was number 23.
Region 4: Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida
The Southeast made significant improvements form the 2002 report. Kentucky saw improvements in four counties; in North Carolina, eight counties improved by at least one grade, while South Carolina saw improvement in seven counties. In Florida, 13 counties received higher grades this year’s report compared with last year.
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