• Los Angeles has been ranked the smoggiest city in the U.S. for 25 of the last 26 years.
• California cities dominate the list of the nation's most polluted areas, impacting public health significantly.
• Over 156 million Americans live in areas with failing air quality grades, linked to climate change and pollution from various sources.

According to the American Lung Association's latest "State of the Air" report, Los Angeles has retained its title as the nation's smoggiest city for the 25th time in the last 26 years, even though the city has seen a nearly 40% decrease in unhealthy ozone days since 2000. This rigorous annual assessment highlights that California cities, including Bakersfield, Visalia, and Fresno, account for a significant portion of the most polluted locations, particularly due to high levels of both ozone and particle pollution. Alarmingly, over 156 million Americans, or approximately 46% of the U.S. population, now live in areas with failing grades for air quality, underscoring a persistent public health crisis driven by air pollution and climate change, according to latimes and sfgate.

The report indicates that while significant strides have been made in pollution reduction, conditions have worsened, particularly in recent years due to climate factors such as wildfires and extreme heat amplifying ozone formation. This is particularly disturbing as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Trump administration contemplates rolling back crucial environmental regulations, which could potentially reverse decades of progress in air quality improvement, according to newsweek, forbes, and npr.

This year's findings show that Bakersfield remains the city with the worst year-round particle pollution, followed closely by Visalia and Fresno, marking a troubling trend in California where industrial emissions, combined with environmental conditions, have created dire air quality issues. Notably, approximately 42 million Americans live in regions that have failed all three pollution measures as outlined in the report, highlighting the extensive reach of air quality issues across the country, as documented by cbsnews and indiatimes.

Health experts reiterate the urgent need for action, stating that air pollution contributes to significant health problems, including asthma, heart disease, and premature death. Vulnerable populations, particularly those in economically disadvantaged communities, face disproportionate impacts from poor air quality, exacerbated by longstanding systemic issues, according to forbes and latimes.