Quality of Life Indicators

air quality data

air quality -- updated 7/27/10

air quality -- updated 7/27/10

The Pollution Standard Index measures the region’s air quality that affects our health and outdoor lifestyle, important for tourism and attracting young professionals to the region. Federal Air Quality regulations have made a big difference in our region’s air quality. In the late 1980s, we had 13 and 14 days a year with unhealthful air quality; several times we exceeded federal pollution standards for carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM). We have had several “red” air quality days this year. This indicator is influenced by weather, vehicle miles traveled, congestion, public transportation, alternative transportation, smoke from wild fires, and even how often the roads are sanded.  Ozone is typically a summer phenomena from vehicle exhaust, heat, sunlight and wind-carried pollutants from other metropolitan areas. Unhealthy days in June-July 2008 were related to wild fires in northern California.  The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and communities with populations larger than 350,000 must report air quality to the public daily.