Posted on 11/14/2005 9:14:28 AM PST by NormsRevenge
LOS ANGELES (AP) - We're No. 1.
The greater Los Angeles region shoved aside Houston and the San Joaquin Valley as the national smog capital in 2005, despite having cleaner air this year than last, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
Air quality in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties exceeded the EPA's smog standard on 84 days this year. The EPA considers the totals to be final numbers for 2005 because the smog season runs from May through September.
"It's a tough job cleaning up the ozone at this point because there are not a lot of easy emissions to target," said Joe Cassmassi, planning and rules manager for the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the region's main smog-fighting agency. "The low-hanging fruit, as a lot of people like to say, has been taken."
Houston and the San Joaquin Valley, which in recent years rivaled or surpassed Los Angeles as the country's smoggiest areas, enjoyed exceptionally clean air this year.
But Los Angeles' rank comes with an asterisk.
The EPA this year switched from measuring smog over a one-hour period to measuring it over an eight-hour span.
Under the old system, Houston would have edged out Los Angeles for the top spot by violating the standard on 33 days compared to 30 days.
Although it led the nation in smoggy days, the Los Angeles region's air is considerably cleaner than it used to be.
The air violated federal standards on 90 days in 2004 and 120 days in 2003. And in 1976, it exceeded federal standards for more than half the year.
Los Angeles could lose federal transportation funding if the area continues to violate the smog standard by 2021.
Thank goodness for all of California's environmental policies or they might have some of the worst pollution in the country......
""It's a tough job cleaning up the ozone at this point because there are not a lot of easy emissions to target," said Joe Cassmassi,"
Translation: "We'll just have to find something new to target and CALL it and emission problem. Whether it is or not."
Hey, where's your sarcasm tag ? lol
Oh I get it.. Thanks!
It's really the cows in the valley, yaknow..
Snort.
LOL. Doesn't sound like they intend to practice what they preach, does it?
It's amazing how Houston's air quality miraculously improves in an off year for Presidential elections. Is it possible the Democrats/MSM have an ulterior motive to lie about pollution in Houston during an election year when their opponent is from Texas? I think we all know the answer to that question.
Correct
Every major city failed the standard once the standard was lowered to a non-attainable range.
Got to keep the smog police in business, ya' know.
It's all them Hollyweird types and their SUV's
I never notice the smog in Houston, do you?
It's not that hard to find the source on any CA freeway.
"Smoker" cars are all over the place. It's amazing to me that these things are allowed anywhere near the road, but there they are, polluting about 10,000 times more than any modern or any older maintained vehicle.
The Legislature allows the CHP to go easy on these folks, however, for reasons you may guess.
In Virginia you have to have a vehicle emissions test when you renew your registration.
"In Virginia you have to have a vehicle emissions test when you renew your registration."
Most cars in CA are every two years. However, many folks drive unregistered junk without a licence. Wadda shock /sar.
I'm not sure it even exists. They take some readings down near the petrochemical complex along the ship channel and extrapolate to cover the whole city. You're officially as smoggy as the worst sensor.
It's BS.
Thanks - thought maybe the smog filled air had affected my brain.
"Most cars in CA are every two years.
However, many folks drive unregistered junk without a licence."
Many illegal immigrants are home gardeners that use highly polluting/smokey leaf blowers, weed eaters, and mowers. Leaf blowers were voted as illegal to use in LA county several years ago because of their huge smog producing properties. However, the system to turn in a gardner/polluter by phone is unworkable. Noticable smokey cars can be turned in by calling an easy '800' number of the Air Quality Board with the smokey car's license.
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