The years 2003, 2004 and 2005 showed the first truly split picture for the nation’s air quality since the American Lung Association started these annual report cards. The nation’s two most widespread and dangerous pollutants tracked in decidedly different directions: ozone went down from the peaks reported in 2002, but particle pollution—the more dangerous—went up. This finding stems from a close look at air pollution data that states themselves collected on a county-by-county basis, using the most up-to-date quality-assured data available for nationwide comparison presented in the American Lung Association State of the Air: 2007.

Ozone, often called smog, improved significantly in many parts of the U.S., especially in the eastern half. Grades of F—common among many states in the past—improved to passing grades, even among some of the counties that had historically been among the most ozone-polluted in the years 2003-2005. These improvements showed up in the list of cities that face the most ozone pollution. For example, the Los Angeles metropolitan area returned to the top of the most polluted list for ozone, but reduced the number of days that its residents suffered from the nation’s worst ozone levels. Nonetheless, despite these improvements, millions of Americans still face dangerous levels of ozone pollution.

The most ominous trend is the increase in particle pollution, or soot, in the eastern U.S. Many areas east of the Mississippi River already had unhealthy levels of this most deadly of the widespread air pollutants. They frequently had more days and higher year-round levels of particles, here measured by PM_2.5. In contrast were the western states, led by California. Although many areas in the western U.S. suffer from some of the highest levels of particle pollution, but levels of particle pollution there dropped significantly during the years 2003-2005.

Both ozone and particle pollution remain a persistent threat across large parts of the United States. Favorable weather combined with controls placed on coal-fired power plants between 1998 and 2004 to improve ozone levels in large parts of the eastern United States. However, those same power plants are likely the source of much of the increase in particle pollution in the eastern United States, driven by increased electricity production during the period.

Looking at the nation as a whole, the American Lung Association State of the Air: 2007 finds:

• Nearly half (46 percent) of the U.S. population lives in counties that have unhealthful levels of either ozone or particle pollution.
  Over 136 million Americans live in 251 counties where they are exposed to unhealthful levels of air pollution in the form of either ozone or short-term or year-round levels of particles.
• One-third of the U.S. population—33.4 percent—lives in areas with unhealthful levels of ozone, a significant reduction since the last report when nearly half did.
  Counties that were graded “F” for ozone levels have a combined population of over 99 million. One in three Americans lives in counties where the monitored air quality places them at risk for decreased lung function, respiratory infection, lung inflammation and aggravation of respiratory illness.
• Roughly one in three people in the United States lives in an area with unhealthful short-term levels of particle pollution, a significant increase
  since the last report.
  Over 93.7 million Americans live in areas where they are exposed to unhealthful short-term levels of particle pollution. Short-term, or acute, exposure to particle pollution has been shown to increase heart attacks, strokes and emergency-room visits for asthma and cardiovascular disease and, most importantly, to increase the risk of death. Some of this increase is likely due to the new, slightly lower threshold of unhealthful air recognized in this report, based on the newly adopted national standards for short-term particle pollution.
• Nearly one in five people in the United States lives in an area with unhealthful year-round levels of particle pollution.
  Nearly 54.5 million Americans suffer from chronic exposure to particle pollution. Even when levels are fairly low, exposure to particles over time can increase risk of hospitalization for asthma, damage to the lungs and, significantly, increase the risk of premature death.
• About 38.3 million Americans—nearly one in eight people—live in 32 counties with unhealthful levels of all three: ozone and short-term and
  year-round particle pollution.

• People with Asthma—Approximately 2.3 million children and over 5.6 million adults with asthma live in parts of the United States with very high levels of ozone. Over 5.5 million adults and 2.1 million children with asthma live in areas with high levels of short-term particle pollution. Nearly 3.1 million adults and 1.3 million children with asthma live in counties with unhealthful levels of year-round particle pollution.
• Older and Younger—Over 11.1 million adults aged 65 and over and nearly 25.8 million children aged 18 and under live in counties with unhealthful ozone levels. Nearly 11 million seniors and 23.9 million children live in counties with unhealthful short-term levels of particle pollution. Nearly 6.3 million seniors and over 14.1 million children live in counties with unhealthful levels of year-round particle pollution.
• Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema—Nearly 3 million people with chronic bronchitis and over 1.2 million with emphysema live in counties with unhealthful ozone levels. Over 2.8 million people with chronic bronchitis and nearly 1.2 million with emphysema live in counties with unhealthful levels of short-term particle pollution. Over 1.6 million people with chronic bronchitis and over 685,000 with emphysema live in counties with unhealthful year-round levels of particle pollution.
• Cardiovascular Disease—Nearly 21.4 million people with cardiovascular diseases live in areas with unhealthful levels of short-term particle pollution; nearly 12.3 million live in counties with unhealthful levels of year-round particle pollution. Cardiovascular diseases include coronary heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, hypertension and angina pectoris.
• Diabetes—Nearly 5.1 million people with diabetes live in areas with unhealthful levels of short-term particle pollution; over 2.9 million live in counties with unhealthful levels of year-round particle pollution. Research indicates that diabetics face increased risk due to particle pollution impact on their cardiovascular systems.

In addition to providing specific grades for each county with ozone and particle pollution monitors, the American Lung Association State of the Air: 2007 also discusses key steps needed to improve the air we all breathe. Those steps include:

• Setting much more protective limits on ozone pollution in the air. Review of current research by both an independent expert panel of scientists and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff scientists agree that the current limits on ozone pollution do not protect the health of the public “with an adequate margin of safety” as required by the Clean Air Act. The EPA Administrator will decide in June 2007 how much ozone pollution will be permitted. That limit will become the goal all states must meet and will drive decisions on how to clean up ozone pollution in each community. The American Lung Association recommends that the EPA set those limits at 0.060 parts per million measured on an eight-hour basis.
• Cleaning up diesel locomotives and marine vehicles. In 2006, new rules took effect requiring cleaner highway diesel trucks, buses and fuel. Beginning in 2010, similar requirements will mean cleaner heavy equipment and construction and agricultural diesel engines and their fuel. The EPA issued new emissions standards for locomotive and marine engines in early March 2007. EPA must make those rules final to ensure these vehicles are cleaned up.
• Cleaning up dirty power plants. Old, coal-fired power plants are among the biggest industrial contributors to unhealthful air, especially particle pollution in the eastern United States. The toll of death, disease and environmental destruction caused by coal-fired power plant pollution continues to mount. The EPA issued rules in 2005 that give states the tools to clean up these plants. However, the EPA has issued other rules that give the electric power plants huge loopholes in complying with the Clean Air Act. The American Lung Association and our partners will continue to take steps to ensure that loopholes are removed.

Several northeastern states are considering adopting even more stringent requirements for their power plants. The American Lung Association repeatedly urged EPA to use this opportunity to clean up even more pollution, faster. The American Lung Association supports efforts in Congress to strengthen the Clean Air Act to further clean up these heavy polluters.

Individual citizens as well can do a great deal to help reduce air pollution outdoors. Simple, but effective ways include:

• Driving less. Combine trips, walk, bike, carpool or vanpool, and use buses, subways or other alternatives to driving. Vehicle emissions are a major source of air pollution. Support community plans that provide ways to get around that don’t require a car, such as more sidewalks, bike trails and transit systems.
• Not burning wood or trash. Burning firewood and trash is among the largest source of particles in many parts of the country. If you must use a fireplace or stove for heat, convert your wood stoves to natural gas, which has far fewer polluting emissions. Compost and recycle as much as possible and dispose of other waste properly; don’t burn it. Support efforts in your community to ban outdoor burning of construction and yard wastes.
• Getting involved. Participate in your community’s review of its air pollution plans and support state and local efforts to clean up air pollution.
• Using less electricity. Turn out the lights and use energy-efficient appliances.
• Sending a message to decision makers. Send an email or fax to urge EPA to set more protective standards for ozone air pollution. Log on to www.lungusa.org to see how easy that can be.