Deadliest Air Pollution In U.S.: 10 Worst Cities (San Jose, San Francisco: houses, DMV)

[MtnSurfer]

Thanks for posting the numbers from the full reports FresnoFacts. It looks like some have change for both the better and worse.

I'm surprised to see San Luis Obispo on there. But I assume its because the county has a large inland portion that gets stagnant. Plus it has hills on both sides in place like the Carrizo Plain.

Derek

[TimC2462]

Originally Posted by FresnoFacts

Per the full Lung Association report this year, they say a few of the California cities have seen big improvements in air quality since these reports began in 2000.

"Of the 25 metropolitan areas most polluted by ozone, fifteen reported the lowest ozone scores since the State of the Air reports began (in 2000): Los Angeles, CA; Bakersfield, CA; Fresno, CA; Sacramento, CA; Houston, TX; Dallas-Fort Worth, TX; El Centro, CA; Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA; New York, NY; Knoxville, TN; Phoenix, AZ; Philadelphia, PA; Atlanta, GA; Pittsburgh, PA; and Las Vegas, NV."
http://www.stateoftheair.org/2011/assets/SOTA2011.pdf

It's pretty ironic that the San Joaquin Valley area still got slapped with a 20 million dollar fine for going exceeding the pollution limit for just several days last summer due the heat.

It is also not surprising to see Bakersfield ranked at the top in almost every category due to its geographical location, oil and agricultural industries. But a lot of the pollutants are also the result of driving habits of people who own gas guzzling SUVs and trucks. The central valley is also home to the Interstate 5 and Highway 99 -- highways that most commuters will utilize to travel between the major destinations in California.

[FresnoFacts]

Originally Posted by TimC2462

The central valley is also home to the Interstate 5 and Highway 99 -- highways that most commuters will utilize to travel between the major destinations in California.

I tracked a big drop in pollutants at the different Central Valley monitors after Smog Check II finally went into effect in the Bay Area July 1 2003.

For example, Fresno violated the federal ozone standard:
2000 - 109 days
2001 - 130 days
2002 - 131 days
2003 - 67 days (only 1/2 the year had the Bay Area on Smog Check II)

But in the years following, Fresno saw:
2004 - 30 days
2005 - 37 days
2006 - 54 days
2007 - 18 days
MRGDSITEMYR Display

I suspect the improvement showed up in both less pollution blown inland and less pollution from non-CV vehicles just passing thru on I5 and 99.

Too bad it took extra years for the Bay Area to copy the program that was already in effect in SoCal and the Central Valley for years before 2003. We in the CV would have benefited from better air quality sooner.

[KC6ZLV]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Six out of ten in the groupings reported. Yikes! Surprised Sacramento with its almost per[petual inversion layer wasn't in there but I guess the periodic scrubbing by the delta breezes saves it.

An inversion is more or less the cause for the smog problem throughout California and the West. If it isn't a marine inversion or subsidence inversion there is a problem with a nocturnal inversion overnight and during the earlier part of the day. If the adiabatic lapse rate exceeds the environmental laps rate pollutants can't mix out either. All these conditions are the rule for the western third of the country.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by KC6ZLV

An inversion is more or less the cause for the smog problem throughout California and the West. If it isn't a marine inversion or subsidence inversion there is a problem with a nocturnal inversion overnight and during the earlier part of the day. If the adiabatic lapse rate exceeds the environmental laps rate pollutants can't mix out either. All these conditions are the rule for the western third of the country.

Scary! I almost understood that. In knew it was a problem in a number of areas but had no idea it was that widespread. Thanks!

[18Montclair]

Ive pointed this out before, but in defense of Sacramento, its been proven that the Bay Area's smog is actually blown into the Valley from strong ocean winds.

Its really interesting because we've had spectacular weather with no fog since I got back from England on Saturday and its so interesting how quickly the air goes from perfect and pristine to soupy and hazy...and then Tuesday morning due to winds it was perfectly CLEAR again in the Bay Area.

If I were Sac, Id sue. LOL.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

If I were Sac, Id sue. LOL.

If I were Sac, I'd move!

Oh wait. I did!

[BVitamin]

Originally Posted by TimC2462

It's pretty ironic that the San Joaquin Valley area still got slapped with a 20 million dollar fine for going exceeding the pollution limit for just several days last summer due the heat.

It is also not surprising to see Bakersfield ranked at the top in almost every category due to its geographical location, oil and agricultural industries. But a lot of the pollutants are also the result of driving habits of people who own gas guzzling SUVs and trucks. The central valley is also home to the Interstate 5 and Highway 99 -- highways that most commuters will utilize to travel between the major destinations in California.

Originally Posted by FresnoFacts

I tracked a big drop in pollutants at the different Central Valley monitors after Smog Check II finally went into effect in the Bay Area July 1 2003.

For example, Fresno violated the federal ozone standard:
2000 - 109 days
2001 - 130 days
2002 - 131 days
2003 - 67 days (only 1/2 the year had the Bay Area on Smog Check II)

But in the years following, Fresno saw:
2004 - 30 days
2005 - 37 days
2006 - 54 days
2007 - 18 days
MRGDSITEMYR Display

I suspect the improvement showed up in both less pollution blown inland and less pollution from non-CV vehicles just passing thru on I5 and 99.

Too bad it took extra years for the Bay Area to copy the program that was already in effect in SoCal and the Central Valley for years before 2003. We in the CV would have benefited from better air quality sooner.

Implement tolls, anyone living in the CV gets a free pass or discounted price -- that might reduced things more.

[FresnoFacts]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

Ive pointed this out before, but in defense of Sacramento, its been proven that the Bay Area's smog is actually blown into the Valley from strong ocean winds.

Its not just Sacramento that gets Bay Area smog its also the SJV, although like anywhere Sac also generates large amounts of its own pollution from mobile (cars/trucks) and stationary sources.

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District has studies that sampled air quality, wind flow and origination sources.

The Bay Area is still a significant source of SJV pollution even as far south as Bakersfield. Per their website:
"Data indicates that approximately 27 percent of the total air pollution in the northern portion of the District comes from the Bay Area. In the central portion of the District, the percentage drops to eleven and in the southern area, transport air pollution constitutes nine percent of the total air pollution inventory."
http://www.valleyair.org/newsed/apvalley.htm

So even at Bakersfield, nearly 10% of the pollution is blown in all the way from the Bay Area.

And that doesn't even consider cars simply passing thru the SJV on I-5 and 99 or thru Sacramento on I-80.

And yes the SJV sued the Bay Area back in 2002, that was what led to Smog Check II being implemented in the Bay Area. Bay Area politicians kept blocking its implementation for years in their area. As I showed above it appears to have made a big difference.

[FresnoFacts]

Originally Posted by BVitamin

Implement tolls, anyone living in the CV gets a free pass or discounted price -- that might reduced things more.

That has been proposed several times. Last I heard about 3 years ago its was still in the study mode. If other Californians are contributing to local smog simply by driving thru on say I-5, I agree they should pay to help offset the pollution they create for us.