Nationally, nearly half of U.S. children live in areas with failing air-pollution measures, affecting hundreds of millions, with more than 32 million in counties failing all three metrics.

Over 700,000 New Jersey children are exposed to unhealthy air, per the American Lung Association’s State of the Air report for 2022-2024.

Racial disparities are evident, as people of color are more than twice as likely as white residents to live in a community failing all three pollution measures.

Air-quality gains are both regional and national: cutting pollution locally supports broader national improvements.

The release comes amid EPA policy rollbacks on endangerment findings and greenhouse gas standards, prompting calls for Massachusetts action and public commentary to the EPA.

Garrett County, Maryland, stands out with an A for ozone smog, the only Maryland county achieving top grades in the report.

There is selective good news on particle pollution, with improvements in the Newark metro area, Warren County, Camden, and Union counties across various measures.

The Lung Association directs readers to Lung.org/sota for full results, advocacy, and media contact information.

Weather and climate trends are linked to air quality shifts, including 2023 wildfire smoke raising PM2.5 and 2024 extreme heat driving higher ozone, especially in the Midwest.

Practical guidance includes limiting outdoor activity on poor-air days, wearing N95 masks, improving indoor filtration, exercising indoors, and staying up to date on vaccines.

Advocates urge readers to press the EPA to prioritize children's health and maintain or strengthen clean-air protections.

Despite Clean Air Act progress since 1970, pollution is intensifying in many areas due to climate- driven heat, drought, and wildfires, with only modest improvements in particle pollution and worsening ozone.