Bakersfield air again on worst list
| Wednesday, Apr 29 2009 12:00 AM
Last Updated Wednesday, Apr 29 2009 12:00 AM
Not much is new as far as our ranking in the American Lung Association’s annual ranking of cities with the unhealthiest air.
For the third year in a row, Bakersfield ranked as the nation’s second smoggiest city behind Los Angeles, according to the 2009 report released Tuesday.
And we took the No. 1spot for the highest annual levels of fine particulates. (Last year we were third behind Pittsburgh, Penn., and Los Angeles, respectively.)
The ranking is based on air quality in major cities from 2005 to 2007.
While the annual report usually creates a few bruising national headlines for Bakersfield and Los Angeles, local air regulators say this is one ranking we won’t do well in anytime soon.
The valley’s bowl-like shape serves to trap polluting emissions, and stagnant air conditions allow them to build up over time. And because air in the valley drifts southward, Bakersfield and Kern County see the worst of the pollution.
Air quality has improved, regulators say, but it will take time to see major strides.
Under recently-adopted plans, the most-polluted areas of the San Joaquin Valley aren’t not expected to reach safe levels of fine particulates until 2014. And safe levels for smog aren’t expected until 2023.
