IMPERIAL VALLEY AND THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION'S STATE OF THE AIR: 2006 REPORT Wise driving habits save gasoline money and reduce pollution; state targets big-diesel polluters; County's biggest clean-air challenge not tracked in Report EL CENTRO, April 27, 2006 – Imperial County got an F, a D, and a "Pass" grade in the American Lung Association's State of the Air: 2006 report, released today. The report ranks the cities and counties with the dirtiest air, and provides county-level report cards on the two most pervasive air pollutants: particle pollution and ozone. According to the report, more than 152,000 people in Imperial County are breathing air with dangerously high levels of particle pollution and ozone. The State of the Air: 2006 report is online at www.lungusa.org. "Getting poor grades means that dirty air threatens the lives and health of far too many of our neighbors," said Jan Cortez, Vice President for Environment of the American Lung Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties. "We can all save money by adopting fuel-saving driving habits, and this will help air quality too. It's a powerful truth that reducing our dependence on petroleum would also improve the quality of the air we breathe," she said. The State of the Air Report examines pollution data from the years 2002, 2003, and 2004 – the three most recent years for which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has validated data. The county again achieved a "Pass" rating on one of the measures of particulate air pollution: the average annual exposure to PM 2.5. And it went from an "F" last year to a "D" this year for 24-hour peak exposure to the same pollutant. Imperial County received an "F" again this year for ozone. Cortez cautioned that Imperial County's biggest air quality problem, PM 10 (coarse particle) pollution, was not addressed in the State of the Air Report. Report Shows That High Pollution Levels Threaten Lives The State of the Air: 2006 notes that more than 150 million Americans live in counties where they are exposed to unhealthful levels of particle pollution, ozone pollution or – in some cases – both. While air pollution is unsafe for everyone, some people are at increased risk because of their age or health situation. Those groups include people with asthma, older people and children under 18, people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD – chronic bronchitis and emphysema), people with cardiovascular disease and those with diabetes. Particle pollution is a mixture of microscopic solids and aerosols that has been found to take months to years off a person's life. In addition to children, the elderly, and those with asthma or other lung diseases, particle pollution has also been shown to induce heart attacks and strokes, cause lung cancer, trigger asthma attacks and increase the need for medical care and hospital visits. The report estimates that Imperial County residents who are most risk of breathing dangerous levels of ozone or particle pollution are: 45,628 children and 15,651 seniors; 3,865 children with asthma and 8,153 adults with asthma; and 4,359 with chronic bronchitis and 1,617 with emphysema. "Evidence is mounting each year underscoring just how dangerous air pollution really is," said Cortez. "The more we learn, the more critical cleaning up the air becomes." The Lung Association has been in the forefront of the fight to use scientific findings to establish pollution standards that protect the health of the public. Protecting the provisions of the Clean Air Act and addressing pollution sources such as power plants and diesel pollution have been high priorities for the Lung Association. At the same time, individuals have a role to play. How to Save Money on Gasoline and Fight Air Pollution Gas-saving habits can fight air pollution. A full set of tips can be found at www.lungsandiego.org Among them: Avoid transporting excess weight Drive less by combining vehicle trips and sharing the ride Avoid aggressive driving such as jackrabbit starts and excessive speed Keep tire pressures up to standard To minimize exposure to ozone and particle pollution, the Lung Association recommends: Check local air quality forecasts. You can find these by going to www.epa.gov/airnow/. Avoid exercising near high-traffic areas. Avoid exercising outdoors when pollution levels are high, or substitute an activity that requires less exertion. Don't smoke indoors. Don't use fireplaces and wood-burning stoves. To find out more about what you can do to get involved, protect yourself, your family's health, and the Clean Air Act, go to www.lungusa.org. EPA Urged To Reduce Air Pollution from Boats, Trains Efforts in recent years to curb particle pollution from power plants have saved lives. A study published in the March 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine showed that when particle air pollution declines in a city, the death rates also drop in that city. "Measures in the pipeline will cut pollution from buses, trucks and heavy construction equipment and improve our air quality in the future. But other polluters – especially emissions from boats and trains – will continue to make our air unhealthy unless the EPA takes action," Cortez said. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promised to issue guidelines for limiting air pollution from marine and locomotive sources but has not yet acted. The marine sources include vessels ranging from tugboats and ferries to recreational boats. State and local air pollution officials estimate that pollution from these sources is responsible for 4,000 premature deaths a year. At the state level, the California Air Resources Board agreed on April 20 to adopt measures to reduce pollutants from trains, trucks, and ships, focusing on key transportation corridors in the state. Details are available at www.arb.ca.gov/gmp/gmp.htm. About the American Lung Association Beginning our second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Lung disease death rates continue to increase while other leading causes of death have declined. The American Lung Association funds vital research on the causes of and treatments for lung disease. With the generous support of the public, the American Lung Association is "Improving life, one breath at a time." For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or log on to www.lungusa.org. ###

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The mission of the American Lung Association is to prevent lung disease and promote lung health.