LAKE COUNTY >> A new report released by The American Lung Association (ALA) showed that while 90 percent of Californians live in areas with unhealthy air at some point during 2018, Lake County passed with flying colors.
In its annual State of the Air 2018 Report, state and local area air quality are graded on an “A” through “F” scale by comparing local ozone and small-particulate concentrations with the federal air quality standards. This year’s report revealed that California’s ozone levels skyrocketed as a result of warmer temperatures in 2016.
“The results serve as a strong reminder that addressing climate change and its impacts on our air quality are key to the fight for healthy air,” ALA said in its report.
Despite that, Lake County received an “A” grade for Ozone, a “B” grade for short-term particulate pollution, and ranked fourth Cleanest County in the Nation for annual particulate average concentrations.
“The county did not change significantly from its previous annual averages even though the period covered by this report includes the Valley fire, Rocky fire, Jerusalem fire, and Clayton fire,” Douglas Gearhart with the Lake County Air Quality Management District said. He added that out of California’s 58 counties, Lake County is one of only 11 counties in the state that did not have any days of ozone exceeds from 2014 through 2016. Continuous air quality monitoring has documented this impressive record, Gearhart said.
The report presents data showing what the residents of Lake County actually are breathing on a daily basis. Gearhart explained that “This report does not exclude wildfire impacts or other natural events that are excluded when determining our attainment status.”
The “B” grade for short-term particulate pollution is the result of impacts from the 2015 wildfires. This shows that despite the Valley, Rocky, Jerusalem, Clayton, and other fires, the residents of Lake County still enjoy some of the cleanest air in the Nation.
The ALA’s grades are the latest recognition of a long history of air quality accomplishments in Lake County. Strong local support for clean air measures has enabled the county to comply in full with not only the Federal Clean Air Standards but also with the more rigorous California Standards for ozone and other air pollutants for the past 28 consecutive years.
“No other Air District in California can match that record,” Gearhart said in a prepared statement.
He attributes the success of the program to strong community support for maintaining clean, healthful air, and the cooperation of the local government, including fire districts, the agriculture community, District Board of Directors and AQMD staff.
“The 4th cleanest county in the Nation for Particulate Matter is a significant indicator of the hard work and dedication this community has to maintaining a healthful environment,” Gearhart explained. “Even with the drought and wildfires of recent years, we can still enjoy clean air. ”
