The American Lung Association has given metropolitan Rochester’s air quality a mixed bag of grades.
The association released its annual State of the Air report on Wednesday, which was Earth Day. The report is based on county-level data from across the country on fine particulate matter and ozone. Both can pose health risks to people, especially children, the elderly, and people with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.
The pollutants are generated by burning fossil fuels, though particle pollution can also come from things such as forest fires.
According to the report, Monroe County had two high-ozone days from 2022 to 2024, earning it a "B" grade. Both days were in the “orange” category, meaning they were unhealthy for sensitive groups.
The broader Rochester metro ranked 125th nationwide on that metric.
Locally, ozone pollution has decreased over the years. A previous State of the Air report showed that between 2015 and 2017, Monroe County experienced five high-ozone days.
The report also said that Monroe County had five high particle pollution days from 2022 to 2024, earning it a "D" grade.
Ozone and particle pollution can cause serious health effects, such as asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes, and preterm births, the report said. They can also lead to premature death, and particle pollution can cause lung cancer.
The report also stated that half of children in the United States are breathing unhealthy levels of air pollution, including 1.1 million young people in New York.
In a news release, the association criticized EPA rollbacks of clean air protections and turned its focus on state lawmakers.
“We urge New York policymakers to take action to improve our air quality,” said Michael Seilback, assistant vice president of nationwide advocacy and state public policy for the American Lung Association.
Seilback said that includes ensuring the original benchmarks of New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, or CLCPA, are achieved.
"We also are calling on everyone to tell EPA that our kids’ health counts,” he added.
State lawmakers are considering changes to the CLCPA, which includes a target of transitioning to 100% renewable energy in New York by 2040. The law has come under scrutiny lately with some critics claiming it’s raising energy costs.
Other state lawmakers and advocacy groups are calling for the state to stay the course.
