The 16th annual State of the Air report includes everyone's favorite tool for putting the achievements of cities and metropolitan areas in perspective: rankings.
The American Lung Association has released the results of its 16th annual "State of the Air" report, finding that "more than 4 in 10 people in the United States live in counties that have unhealthy levels of either ozone or particle pollution."
According to a press release announcing the report, many parts of the country are making encouraging progress in the "long fight for cleaner, healthier air for all Americans." In fact, "[th]e best progress showed in levels of year-round particle pollution, which have been steadily improving. For that you can thank the transition to cleaner diesel fuel and engines and steps taken to clean up power plants, especially in the eastern U.S.," according to the press release.
Not all the news was good, however. Some cities got worse for ozone levels, and "[d]angerous short-term spikes in particle pollution increased in many cities, particularly in the western U.S., with some cities showing their worst problems since the report began." That latter issue has everything to do with climate change, according to the press release.
In addition to the policy recommendations included in the report and summarized in the press release, the State of the Air study includes a ranking of metropolitan areas, best and worst, on three measures of air pollution: Ozone, Year-Round Particle Pollution, and Short-Term Particle Pollution. The most polluted and cleanest cities on those measures are as follows:
Most Polluted
Ozone: Los Angeles, California
Year-Round Particle Pollution: Fresno-Madera, California
Short-term Particle Pollution: Fresno-Madera, California
Cleanest
Ozone: Bellingham, Washington
Year-Round Particle Pollution: Prescott, Arizona
Short-term Particle Pollution: Alexandria, Louisiana
FULL STORY: Every Breath You Take: State of the Air 2015

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won
A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide
Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code
The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont