Map shows the worst air in America

[one...two...tree 2,762]

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

With the exception of maybe California and Texas, that pretty much matches US population distribution.

Edited March 28, 2012 by Sousuke

[Neonred 3,564]

Guess the air in LA is pretty damn good these days.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Guess the air in LA is pretty damn good these days.

Those limp-wristed libruls got one thing right this time.

[xebec 195]

Those limp-wristed libruls got one thing right this time.

C'mon Fancypants.....you are smarter than this....

In contrast, residents of California, which is famed for its healthful lifestyle, are breathing some of the worst air.

California cities topped the list of U.S. cities with the worst air pollution, according to "State of the Air 2011," the American Lung Association's annual report on air quality, which was released April 27.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/heart/articles/2011/04/27/report-california-cities-have-worst-air-pollution-in-us

California is a massive fail on this issue.....limp-wirsted libruls screwed the pooch, as usual, and try to hide it with mmaps depicting a single aspect of air quality....

[MyLittlePony 340]

Shut down all the power plants and go back in the dark ages.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

http://health.usnews...pollution-in-us

California is a massive fail on this issue.....limp-wirsted libruls screwed the pooch, as usual, and try to hide it with mmaps depicting a single aspect of air quality....

California is the most populated state and has only a small, light brown circle on that map. Keep your conspiracy theories to yourself. Lets stick with facts.

...the Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory compiles information about air and water pollution in a form that can be easily searched to define local toxic profiles. (It's also a useful reminder this week, when air pollution is at its worst in many parts of the country because high heat triggers increased ozone and smog.) The facilities that generate our electricity are also our biggest sources of air pollution, including both smog and acid rain, and also mercury, which rains down and contaminates us through the fish we eat.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced new rules (which actually replace rules that were set in the George W. Bush Administration, but struck down in court) to reduce smog-forming air pollution from power plants in much of the country, and mercury from all coal-fired power plants. The House of Representatives, though, has considered measures that would undermine those and other pollution-reduction efforts by the EPA. The release of this report is designed at least in part to support the EPA's efforts against attacks from Congress.

So which states make the so-called "Toxic 20" list? Here they are, from worst to best:

1. Ohio
2. Pennsylvania
3. Florida
4. Kentucky
5. Maryland
6. Indiana
7. Michigan
8. West Virginia
9. Georgia
10. North Carolina
11. South Carolina
12. Alabama
13. Texas
14. Virginia
15. Tennessee
16. Missouri
17. Illinois
18. Wisconsin
19. New Hampshire
20. Iowa

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/states-worst-air-pollution-0722#ixzz1qRKgEEdh

[MyLittlePony 340]

Glad my state has a small brown spot.

[xebec 195]

California is the most populated state and has only a small, light brown circle on that map. Keep your conspiracy theories to yourself. Lets stick with facts.

Ok.....you aren't as smart as I thought. Your little map represents a single aspect of air quality. You have to be able to anylyze a little deeper than "little brown circles." This map represents only "air pollution from power plants " which California has largely avoided building, thus.....

•California imports more electricity from other States than any other State.

•In 2000 and 2001, California suffered an energy crisis characterized by electricity price instability and four major blackouts affecting millions of customers.

http://205.254.135.7/state/state-energy-profiles.cfm?sid=CA

Conspiracy theory? Don't be a dolt......my information comes from the same source as your "little circle map." The American Lung Association. Your read fu is weak.....

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Ok.....you aren't as smart as I thought. Your little map represents a single aspect of air quality. You have to be able to anylyze a little deeper than "little brown circles." This map represents only "air pollution from power plants " which California has largely avoided building, thus.....

•California imports more electricity from other States than any other State.

•In 2000 and 2001, California suffered an energy crisis characterized by electricity price instability and four major blackouts affecting millions of customers.

http://205.254.135.7/state/state-energy-profiles.cfm?sid=CA

Conspiracy theory? Don't be a dolt......my information comes from the same source as your "little circle map." The American Lung Association. Your read fu is weak.....

Where has the OP been contrary to the article, specifically power plants? I do not see it. I don't really understand why you are attacking him personally.

Edited March 28, 2012 by Sousuke

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Ok.....you aren't as smart as I thought. Your little map represents a single aspect of air quality. You have to be able to anylyze a little deeper than "little brown circles." This map represents only "air pollution from power plants " which California has largely avoided building, thus.....

•California imports more electricity from other States than any other State.

•In 2000 and 2001, California suffered an energy crisis characterized by electricity price instability and four major blackouts affecting millions of customers.

http://205.254.135.7...iles.cfm?sid=CA

Conspiracy theory? Don't be a dolt......my information comes from the same source as your "little circle map." The American Lung Association. Your read fu is weak.....

lol...so California doesn't count because they're 'importanting' their energy. Wow, talk about a slippery slope.

Find a list that shows where California ranks in overall air quality.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Where has the OP been contrary to the article, specifically power plants? I do not see it. I don't really understand why you are attacking him personally.

What the OP demonstrates is the causal relationship between air quality and power plants. It's irrelevant how much energy California imports from other states as the point is about coal plants and air pollution. The EPA recently announced air quality regulations for any new coal plants, which is similar to the regulations California put in place more than a decade ago, and now we can see the result.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Adding some context to this... (See parts in bold below)

According to the NRDC, here are the 20 most toxic states, from worst to best:

1. Ohio
2. Pennsylvania
3. Florida
4. Kentucky
5. Maryland
6. Indiana
7. Michigan
8. West Virginia
9. Georgia
10. North Carolina
11. South Carolina
12. Alabama
13. Texas
14. Virginia
15. Tennessee
16. Missouri
17. Illinois
18. Wisconsin
19. New Hampshire
20. Iowa

Overall, U.S. power plants emitted 771 million pounds of toxic chemicals in 2009, with the electric sector responsible for 49 percent of all industrial toxic air pollution that year, or 382 million pounds. [ Top 10 Alternative Energy Bets ]

Accounting for 12 percent of U.S. industrial air pollution, Ohio's power plants emitted 44.5 million pounds of harmful chemicals in 2009. For comparison, the 20th ranked state, Iowa, was responsible for just 1 percent of U.S. industrial air pollution, or 2.5 million pounds of harmful chemicals.

The researchers also looked specifically at mercury air pollution, finding Ohio and Pennsylvania also took the top two spots in this measure.

The EPA is attempting to revise its public health protections to make its Mercury and Air Toxics standard stricter, but lawmakers including House Energy and Commerce Committee chair Fred Upton (R-MI) have vowed to block the new measures. According to the EPA, the proposed standards would prevent up to 120,000 cases of childhood asthma each year and save 17,000 lives per year by 2015.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43831412/ns/us_news-environment/t/states-ranked-power-plant-pollution/#.T3N2vNl2OSo

[xebec 195]

lol...so California doesn't count because they're 'importanting' their energy. Wow, talk about a slippery slope.

Find a list that shows where California ranks in overall air quality.

How about LA, which you claimed above as a example of liberal success.....or maybe the top 6:

The most polluted US cities

(By particle pollution)

1 Bakersfield, CA

2 Los Angeles, CA

2 Phoenix, AZ

2 Visalia, CA

5 Hanford, CA

6 Fresno, CA

http://www.citymayors.com/environment/polluted_uscities.html

[one...two...tree 2,762]

How about LA, which you claimed above as a example of liberal success.....or maybe the top 6:

The most polluted US cities

(By particle pollution)

1 Bakersfield, CA

2 Los Angeles, CA

2 Phoenix, AZ

2 Visalia, CA

5 Hanford, CA

6 Fresno, CA

http://www.citymayor...d_uscities.html

Cities are the worst for air pollution - no one is arguing against that. You have to look at California's Clean Air Act and see whether or not those regulations had any impact on air quality. Clearly, the stricter regulations on coal power plants has had an impact as demonstrated by that map. So ask yourself why the Republicans want to try and block the EPA from adapting similar regulations on a national level?