Houston Air Quality Improving, But Still Dirty
Infographic by American Lung Association
A new report says Houston's air is getting cleaner, but remains relatively dirty.
The winds of change are cleaner than usual in Texas’ biggest metropolitan area. According to the American Lung Association’s annual State of the Air 2012 report, Houston’s air quality index has improved slightly from last year, marking the best levels ever recorded in the city since the association first began following them thirteen years ago.
The association grades cities on three major categories: ozone, year-round particle and short-term particle. Houston ranked eighth worst in ozone pollution (receiving a grade of F) and 23rd worst in year-round particle pollution, but received a commendable B in short-term particle pollution.
California leads the nation in polluted cities; Los Angeles, Bakersfield and Fresno were the worst offenders. The cleanest cities in Texas were Brownsville, Amarillo and Laredo.
The association credits the EPA’s Clean Air Act with the improvements in air over the last decade, but more than 127 million Americans are still living in areas with harmful air quality, according to an American Lung Association press release.
