Just in time for the EPA’s Air Quality Awareness Week, the American Lung Association has, once again, issued mostly failing grades for California’s counties, including Nevada County. The county still got an “F” for air quality in 2021, although we only had seven so-called “Red Days” for air quality considered unhealthy for all groups and just one “Purple Day”, for very unhealthy air. Sam Longmire, with the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District, says the Lung Association doesn’t follow the same protocol as the EPA does regarding non-attainment of health standards…

click to listen to Sam Longmire

32 of the state’s 58 counties received “F’s” from the Lung Association. That includes nearby Placer County, which only had three “Red Days”, and Sacramento County, which only had two…

click to listen to Sam Longmire

In it’s annual report, the Lung Association says air quality improvements have been offset by the negative impacts of hotter, drier conditions caused by climate change, including wildfires.