As we get closer to some of the worst days of the year for poor air quality, Nevada County residents continue to have more adverse effects from vehicle emissions than their neighbors in Placer and Sacramento counties. In its annual State of the Air report, the American Lung Association says we had 25 so-called “red days” for air considered unhealthy for everyone, compared to only 11 in Sacramento County, and just 10 in Placer County. Gretchen Bennett, with the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District, says it’s never been clear why. But most experts believe the smog is transported from other areas…

Nevada County is among 31 of the 58 counties that continue to get “F’s” from the Lung Association for ozone days. Meanwhile, Bennett says we still get a “B” for particle pollution, which comes mostly from smoke…

The Association says California is home to seven of the 10 most ozone-polluted cities in the nation, and six of the 10 cities with the highest year-round particle pollution.