Imperial Valley gets an F grade in air quality by American Lung Association

The American Lung Association released on Wednesday its State of the Air 2017 report. It was not good news for Imperial County.

Comite Civico del Valle official Humberto Lugo said, “It shows that the border region of Imperial County got an F.”

Lugo said this means air pollution levels continue to be high and pose a health hazard.

“Our families, our kids continue to breathe dirty air which causes public health issues, such as asthma, respiratory issues, and cardiac,” Lugo said.

The report is based on air monitoring data from 2013 through 2015. It ranks Imperial Valley as 7th most polluted area year-round in California.

“Imperial County has five monitors which measure the pollution, whether its ozone and also PM 2.5, PM 10,” Lugo said.

Those are particulate matter that affects people’s health.

“Formed by diesel pollution, the emissions from trucks, also a lot of agricultural burning in our communities. So, all these particles when they come down we breathe them and they get lodged in our blood system and in our lungs,” Lugo said.

Comite Civico del Valle official Israel Castro wants residents to attend next week’s public workshop in El Centro and Calexico, organized by the local air pollution control district to voice their concerns.

“Important information is available to them, and this is a tool for them to either protect their family’s health and take real action to improve the environment that we have in our community,” Castro said.

The workshops are Thursday, April 27, in El Centro at 150 South 9th Street, at 9 a.m., and Calexico City Council Chambers at 5 p.m.