The iconic skyline of downtown Los Angeles has been clouded by smog for decades, so this title should come as no surprise to Angelenos.
Yet again, L.A. is the smoggiest city in the U.S., according to the American Lung Association.
The “State of the Air” report from the association has been handing out grades to American cities based on their air quality for the past 26 years. L.A. has held the top spot for most polluted city by ozone for 25 of those years.
The list is weighted based on the average number of unhealthy air days, the association says.
Not only is California’s largest city on the list, but the Golden State takes five of the top 10 spots. They include Visalia (No. 2), Bakersfield (No. 3), Fresno (No. 5) and San Diego (No. 8).
Several counties throughout the state, including L.A., Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties, received “F” grades from the ALA for their amount of high ozone days.
California politicians have made a push to change California’s reality as being an example of having poor air conditions. The state has prioritized electric vehicles as the future of travel, with Gov. Gavin Newsom approving massive investments in infrastructure.
But clearly, the state has a long way to go in lowering emissions and providing safer air to breath for its residents.