A) Downtown Los Angeles 🌆
B) New York City 🌃
C) A little village in New Mexico 🌄.
Answer: C is correct! 🎯 Loving, New Mexico, a tiny settlement in the Permian Basin, has worse air pollution levels than downtown Los Angeles. Isn't that shocking? Let's go into this fantastic narrative!
In 2023, Loving surpassed the EPA's ozone pollution standard 31 times, compared to 23 in downtown Los Angeles. That is some nasty pollution! 😱 The air here is not just awful but also hazardous. With harmful pollutants like ozone, methane, and benzene flying around, it's a formula for health disasters.🚨
Despite the terrible facts, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not designated Loving an ozone nonattainment zone (essentially a "you need to clean up now" zone). Why? Great question! 🤔. The latest EPA evaluation was in 2018, when New Mexico's oil output was a quarter of what it is today. With pollution levels soaring, citizens are left asking, "Where's the help?"
Scientists discovered the following in the loving air (not simply mountain breezes 🌬️):
Pollutants contribute to Loving's "toxic soup,"🍲 , leading to major health difficulties for residents. Imagine inhaling that all day!
Have you heard about Denver's ozone problem? 🏔️ Years ago, the Colorado Front Range, which stretches northeast from Denver, was designated as an ozone nonattainment zone, resulting in stronger pollution limits. Loving has far greater pollution levels than Denver's suburbs, yet little action has been taken to clean up the air. 🤷♀️.
So what's the holdup? The EPA is exploring new pollution restrictions to bring the region into compliance, but residents of Loving are still waiting for significant improvement. 🌱 Until then, the scientists continue to observe, hoping for further funds to continue their investigation. Meanwhile, the residents of Loving must deal with the everyday consequences of living in a town with air quality that is actually worse than that of Los Angeles.