The American Lung Association’s 25th annual “State of the Air” report has brought to light the ongoing challenges faced by Alaskans in combating air pollution. Carrie Nyssen, Senior Director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association, emphasized the progress made over the years, stating, "In the 25 years that the American Lung Association has been doing our ‘State of the Air’ report, we have seen incredible improvement in the nation’s air quality. Unfortunately, more than 131 million people still live in places with unhealthy levels of air pollution."
Nyssen also highlighted the impact of climate change on air pollution, noting, "Climate change is making air pollution more likely to form and more difficult to clean up. There are steps we can take to improve air quality. The American Lung Association is calling on the EPA to set long-overdue stronger national limits on ozone pollution."
The report revealed that while the Anchorage, AK metro area ranked 73rd worst in the nation for short-term particle pollution, the Fairbanks, AK metro area received a mixed assessment. Fairbanks was commended for ranking among the cleanest cities for ozone pollution but was criticized for its poor performance in short-term particle pollution. The Fairbanks metro area ranked 3rd worst in the nation for short-term particle pollution, with the area's worst county averaging 38.8 unhealthy days per year.
Overall, the “State of the Air” report highlighted the concerning trend of high levels of particle pollution across the United States, with more than 131 million people living in areas with failing grades for at least one measure of air pollution. The report also underscored the disproportionate impact of air pollution on communities of color, who are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions exacerbated by poor air quality.
Both ozone and particle pollution were identified as significant contributors to premature death and various health issues. The American Lung Association is urging the EPA to implement stronger national limits on ozone pollution to protect public health and drive cleanup efforts nationwide.
To learn more about the report findings and support the mission of the American Lung Association, individuals are encouraged to visit Lung.org/SOTA. Additionally, those interested in getting involved can participate in the Clean Air Challenge in Talkeetna scheduled for May 11th.
