| ■ California Farming Town Has Most Polluted Air in U.S. | 2007.08.11 |
| The central California farming town of Arvin has the worst air pollution in the United States, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The town itself produces little air pollution but is surrounded by mountains that trap pollutants blown in from large cities, the Associated Press reported. Many Arvin residents say the air in their town smells toxic and, on hot summer days, airborne particles coat homes and streets and obscure the view of the nearby Tehachapi mountain range. Between 2004 and 2006, ozone in Arvin exceeded acceptable levels an average of 73 days a year. Ozone is the primary component of smog. By comparison, there were an average of four days per year of unacceptable ozone levels in the San Francisco Bay Area over the same period, the AP reported. |