What City Has The Best Air Quality – While the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many problems, there have been some positive outcomes. In addition to limiting the spread of the virus, the lockdown has also improved air quality due to reduced commercial activity and car traffic. But with the lifting of lockdowns and a recent wave of wildfires in the West and Mountain states, that trend quickly reversed, leaving millions of Americans once again suffering from poor air quality.
Before COVID-19, nearly one in four Americans lived in counties with poor air quality, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Although ozone-related pollutants are the most common cause of poor air quality, many Americans are also exposed to a variety of other common pollutants, such as particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and lead.
What City Has The Best Air Quality
Although many Americans still live in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution, conditions have improved in recent decades. Due to the efforts of the EPA and the passage of the Clean Air Act in the United States since 1970 air quality has gradually improved and emissions of common pollutants have decreased. Since 2010 CO2 emissions have also decreased slightly. increase in gross domestic product, travel, total population and energy consumption.
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However, air quality in many areas, especially in the western United States, does not meet national standards. In addition to causing environmental problems, poor air quality can also have negative consequences for personal health, which can be particularly harmful for those who already suffer from certain health problems such as asthma and cardiovascular disease. In addition, new research shows that economically disadvantaged communities are more likely to experience higher levels of pollution. Also, while the U.S. has improved overall, the most polluted areas since the 1980s have are still some of the most polluted today.
Filterbuy researchers analyzed 2019 to determine the cities with the worst (and best) air quality. air quality index (AQI) average values. These values, published annually by the EPA, are a measure of air pollution in an area. Higher AQI values indicate that an area experiences more pollution and poorer air quality.
Only metropolitan areas with a population of at least 500,000 were included in this report. Here are the metropolitan areas with the worst (and best) air quality in the country.
. Higher AQI values correspond to higher pollution levels and worse air quality. AQI values below 50 are considered good; AQI values between 51 and 100 are considered average; and AQI values above 100 are considered unhealthy (initially for susceptible groups and then for everyone as values increase).
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In order to identify areas with the worst air quality, metropolitan areas were grouped by their respective average AQI values, with high AQI values corresponding to poorer air quality. In case of a tie, the location with the highest AQI value was considered to have poorer air quality.
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© Copyright 2023 World-Herald, 1314 Douglas St., Suite 1500 , NE 68102 | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Do not sell my information | Cookie Options Living in one of the cleanest US states is vital to your health. According to the American Lung Association, 4 in 10 Americans live in areas with toxic air. Prolonged exposure to polluted air can cause serious heart and lung problems.
Air Quality In The United States
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitors air quality in the United States and protects public health through NAAQS. EPA can perform these duties with authorization from the Clean Air Act. Each state in the US is assigned an Air Quality Index (AQI) value that allows them to be ranked in terms of air cleanliness. When it comes to US states with the cleanest air, overall air quality is highest in Hawaii.
This article will tell you which state has the cleanest air. We will also explain how air quality is measured. Let’s get started.
When looking at the US states with the cleanest air, you’ll come across the Air Quality Index (AQI). As you can probably tell, this index measures air quality. It identifies four main air pollutants:
The Clean Air Act, the federal law that regulates air emissions, standardizes the Air Quality Index. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is given the authority to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). NAAQS regulate hazardous air pollutants and protect public health and welfare.
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The AQI determines which state has the cleanest air by categorizing and assigning a value to each state. It ranges from zero to 500. Zero represents states in the US with the cleanest air, and 500 is the most dangerous level.
A value of 100 or less is favorable because it indicates that the air poses no health risk. Values above 100 indicate unhealthy air that poses a health risk to certain groups of people. The higher the AQI value, the less safe the air is to breathe.
A variety of air quality monitoring technologies are available today. Regulatory agencies such as the EPA have established and developed a Federal Reference Method (FRM) to meet air quality monitoring criteria.
The Air Quality Index is divided into six categories, each of which poses a different level of health concern. They include:
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According to the American Lung Association, a clean state has low levels of ozone (smog) and particulate matter (PM2.5, or soot). Ozone air pollution or ground level ozone is one of the most common. It occurs when toxins from cars, chemical plants, power plants and other sources react with sunlight.
The Environmental Protection Agency defines particulate pollution as a mixture of solid and liquid particles found in the air. And particle pollution comes from fires, cooking, pumping, unpaved roads, construction sites, etc. Particulate matter (PM) is one of several common air pollutants. They are easily inhaled through the nose and mouth, causing nasal irritation and other health problems.
A clean US state is also characterized by a low percentage of adult cigarette use. So, now that you have an idea of how air quality is measured, let’s take a look at the US states with the highest air quality.
We ranked each state based on the metrics above and the American Lung Association’s State of the Air report. In addition, we considered air pollution data from America’s Health Rankings to determine each state’s ranking. Keep in mind that the level of air cleanliness in your state will vary due to worsening climate conditions.
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Hawaii’s natural beauty has long been preserved, allowing the state to boast pristine beaches and an inviting tropical atmosphere. This conservation has also given it an edge in air quality compared to other states. Hawaii has the cleanest air in the US on average. It has an AQI value of 21.2, which is in the healthy range set by the EPA.
The American Lung Association named two Hawaii cities among the 25 cleanest cities in the U.S. for year-round particle pollution. Honolulu ranks third and the Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina metro area ranks fourth. Honolulu is also ranked as having the cleanest air pollution for ozone and short-lived particulate matter.
Hawaii has an air pollution rating of 4.3. It ranks just behind Wyoming, which is considered the healthiest state in terms of air pollution according to America’s Health Rankings. Hawaii is also one of the ten states with the lowest adult cigarette consumption.
Environmental changes resulting from volcanic activity and climate change are the greatest threats to air quality in this state. To mitigate this, the state has a Clean Power Initiative. They reach 2045. to achieve 100% clean energy.
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Maine is the second cleanest state in the US. The state’s air quality has improved significantly over the past decade, resulting in an air quality index of 36.5. But not all Maine towns enjoy clean air. Also, despite Maine’s high overall ranking, the state has high rates of adult lung cancer and cigarette use.
Bangor is the cleanest in terms of air pollution for ozone and short-term particle pollution. The American Lung Association ranks it fifth among the 25 cleanest cities in the U.S. for year-round particle pollution. Portland ranks as the cleanest for short-term particle pollution. However, its particle pollution continues to increase throughout the year.
Maine is reducing power plant emissions through the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) program. This program aims to improve air quality, invest in cleaner public transport and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which worsen climate change.
With an air quality index of 37, North Dakota is the third cleanest state in the US. The state is also among the top ten states with the least air pollution in the United States. Its air pollution value is 4.8.
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North Dakota meets the EPA’s federal ambient air quality standards, but some counties may experience negative impacts on overall air quality. That includes Mercer County, which has coal-fired power plants. And in McKenzie and Williams counties, which
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