California Air Quality

We are in the process of finishing up an article on California air quality for Sierra Research's monthly newsletter, CVS News. Already this summer, in the South Coast Air Basin, ozone levels have reached 0.216 ppm (sometime last week), after reaching only 0.169 ppm last year. A rather dramatic worsening of California air quality is apparently underway, probably driven by the lack of progress in developing air pollution control measures, plus population growth, with many more people driving ever so many miles. For the last several years, it's been fun to see whether Houston or LA would have the nation's worst air quality - the race would be SO close - decided by a nose! This year, LA, the Lance Armstrong of hacking coughs, may lap laggard Houston. Bad for California lungs, for sure, but probably good for Sierra Research's air quality business....