Lake County’s air rated cleanest in the nation

For a third consecutive year, Lake County’s air has been rated cleanest in the nation when it comes to fine particle pollution, according to the American Lung Association.

It’s the 24th year the county has been at the top of California’s healthy air list, noted Lake County Air Pollution Officer Doug Gearhart.

“This is a significant and unprecedented achievement in the nation,” he said Wednesday.

The county did not fare as well with ozone in the Lung Association’s 2015 report, which looked at pollution in 2011 through 2013. It was given a B grade in that category. Sonoma and Mendocino counties received As.

But Lake County’s relatively poor grade for ozone was because it exceeded federal ozone standards just one day and that was the result of wild fires, Gearhart said.

Lake County was not just at the top of the healthy air list, it was just one of two California counties rated in the top 25 cleanest for year-round particle pollution. The other was San Benito County.

People exposed to ozone and particle pollution have an increased risk of developing lung cancer, asthma, heart attacks and premature deaths.

You can reach Staff Writer Glenda Anderson at 462-6473 or glenda.anderson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MendoReporter.