Air pollution is blowing in the wind from Asia to California, experts say By Los Angeles Times, adapted by Newsela staff on 02.12.15 Word Count 911 Downtown Los Angeles as seen from Mount Lee through a light layer of smog on March 18, 2008. Photo: AP Photo/Don Ryan CARMEL VALLEY, Calif. Scientist Ian Faloona is detecting high levels of pollution way up in the Santa Lucia Mountains along California's Big Sur Coast. His findings are surprising. The place should have some of the country s cleanest air. For the last three years Faloona has been measuring ozone, the lung-damaging gas in smog, as it arrives to California. His monitoring site is located on Chews Ridge, more than 5,000 feet above sea level. The site allows Faloona to test air from across the Pacific before it comes into contact with U.S. pollution. A Cause Of Lung Disease Ozone can be healthy or unhealthy depending on where it is in the atmosphere. If it is high up in the atmosphere, it protects people from harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. However, if it is low in the atmosphere, it can hurt people's lungs.
Faloona and other scientists have been documenting rising levels of ozone across the western United State. Ozone can trigger asthma attacks, worsen heart and lung disease and lead to early death. The rise in ozone levels was not supposed to happen. Nationwide, emissions from vehicles and factories have been cut steeply. The cause of the increase, scientists say, is soaring emissions from China and other fast-growing Asian countries. Pollution from Asia is blowing across the Pacific Ocean, increasing levels of ozone in the western U.S. The Destination Of Smog In about a week, winds carry ozone formed by emissions from cars, factories and power plants in Asia to the U.S. West Coast. The ozone is then is added to locally generated pollution, worsening smog in cities such as Bakersfield, Fresno and Los Angeles. The phenomenon is fueling a debate about just how much Asia is to blame for bad air in the U.S. Experts say that Asian emissions are having a stronger influence on U.S. smog levels. The problem particularly affects western states, which are exposed to the pollutants first. Local pollution regulators are responsible for making sure pollution in their region does not rise above certain levels. If they fail to keep levels low enough, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can issue a fine. The EPA is a federal government agency that enforces environmental regulations. Unfair Penalties? Now, some local regulators are saying they should not be penalized for smog caused by Asian pollution. Last year, pollution in the San Joaquin Valley area exceeded permissible pollution levels on several occasions. The EPA fined the district. Nonetheless, San Joaquin Valley district asked the EPA to waive the fines. The district argued that it should not be held responsible for ozone pollution from Asia. The district "shouldn t be penalized for pollution that comes from elsewhere, said district official Seyed Sadredin. The EPA did not approve the district s request. It said health standards can be met despite the added pollution from Asia. Lawyer Jed Anderson said San Joaquin Valley's request is not going to be unique for very long. Other districts will try making the same argument, he said.
Stricter U.S. Standards Later this year the EPA may lower the amount of ozone that is permissible, from 75 parts per billion to between 65 and 70 parts per billion. A new standard would put more areas of the country in violation of air quality standards. It would place parts of the West in a tough spot. Limiting pollution flowing in from Asia will not be easy, however. It would require an international treaty, said atmospheric scientist Owen Cooper. Such a deal is unlikely, he said. Therefore, U.S. regulators will have to cut locally created pollution even further. Here in Denver, our emissions have come down enormously due to cleaner cars, but our ozone pollution isn t coming down. It s kind of stuck. Some are critical of the recent focus on ozone from Asia. They say state and local regulators should focus on curbing emissions from cars, factories, farms and other sources they have the power to control. Looking For Excuses? Dolores Weller is director of the Central Valley Air Quality Coalition. She says the focus on ozone from Asia is the latest example of officials not focusing in on homegrown pollution." Officials are simply "continuing to look for exemptions and further excuses, she said. Recent studies have found that Asian ozone contributes 3 to 8 parts per billion of the pollution in low-lying parts of Southern California. In high-elevation regions of the West, it contributes up to 15 parts per billion. On Chews Ridge, Faloona has measured ozone concentrations as high as 80 parts per billion. He has also found evidence that the gas is mixing into the air in the San Joaquin Valley. It is boosting smog levels in such cities as Bakersfield and Fresno, he said. Breathe Locally, Act Globally? The attention to pollution from Asia is a major shift from past years. Los Angeles and other large cities battling crippling smog used to treat it as a local matter. Now, pollution is increasingly viewed as an international concern. Faloona agrees that Asian and U.S. air-quality problems are no longer divorced from one another. He can see the connection between the two from his monitoring site.
Looking west, he can measure pollutants blowing in across the Pacific Ocean. Looking inland, he sees the San Joaquin Valley, blanketed in a layer of air pollution. People think of these pollutants as relatively short-lived and think they don t make it that far, Faloona said of Asian pollution. But we ve realized it s all connected.
Quiz 1 Which sentence from the article suggests that the amount of pollution may not come down, even if states reduce the amount of pollution they are creating? Later this year the EPA may lower the amount of ozone that is permissible, from 75 parts per billion to between 65 and 70 parts per billion. Here in Denver, our emissions have come down enormously due to cleaner cars, but our ozone pollution isn t coming down." Officials are simply "continuing to look for exemptions and further excuses, she said. Therefore, U.S. regulators will have to cut locally created pollution even further. 2 Which selection includes two main ideas from the article? Scientist Ian Faloona is detecting high levels of pollution way up in the Santa Lucia Mountains along California's Big Sur Coast. The cause of the increase, scientists say, is soaring emissions from China and other fast-growing Asian countries. For the last three years Faloona has been measuring ozone, the lung-damaging gas in smog, as it arrives to California. Faloona and other scientists have been documenting rising levels of ozone across the western United State. Ozone can be healthy or unhealthy depending on where it is in the atmosphere. If it is high up in the atmosphere, it protects people from harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. However, if it is low in the atmosphere, it can hurt people's lungs. His monitoring site is located on Chews Ridge, more than 5,000 feet above sea level. The site allows Faloona to test air from across the Pacific before it comes into contact with U.S. pollution. 3 Which sentence from the section "Unfair Penalties?" is MOST important to the main idea of the article? It said health standards can be met despite the added pollution from Asia. Last year, pollution in the San Joaquin Valley area exceeded permissible pollution levels on several occasions. The district "shouldn t be penalized for pollution that comes from elsewhere, said district official Seyed Sadredin. Lawyer Jed Anderson said San Joaquin Valley's request is not going to be unique for very long.
4 Select the paragraph from the article that suggests some local communities and groups are less interested in where the pollution comes from than in how much pollution there actually is? Dolores Weller is director of the Central Valley Air Quality Coalition. She says the focus on ozone from Asia is the latest example of officials not focusing in on homegrown pollution." Officials are simply "continuing to look for exemptions and further excuses, she said. On Chews Ridge, Faloona has measured ozone concentrations as high as 80 parts per billion. He has also found evidence that the gas is mixing into the air in the San Joaquin Valley. It is boosting smog levels in such cities as Bakersfield and Fresno, he said. The attention to pollution from Asia is a major shift from past years. Los Angeles and other large cities battling crippling smog used to treat it as a local matter. Now, pollution is increasingly viewed as an international concern. People think of these pollutants as relatively short-lived and think they don t make it that far, Faloona said of Asian pollution. But we ve realized it s all connected.
Answer Key 1 Which sentence from the article suggests that the amount of pollution may not come down, even if states reduce the amount of pollution they are creating? Later this year the EPA may lower the amount of ozone that is permissible, from 75 parts per billion to between 65 and 70 parts per billion. Here in Denver, our emissions have come down enormously due to cleaner cars, but our ozone pollution isn t coming down." Officials are simply "continuing to look for exemptions and further excuses, she said. Therefore, U.S. regulators will have to cut locally created pollution even further. 2 Which selection includes two main ideas from the article? Scientist Ian Faloona is detecting high levels of pollution way up in the Santa Lucia Mountains along California's Big Sur Coast. The cause of the increase, scientists say, is soaring emissions from China and other fast-growing Asian countries. For the last three years Faloona has been measuring ozone, the lung-damaging gas in smog, as it arrives to California. Faloona and other scientists have been documenting rising levels of ozone across the western United State. Ozone can be healthy or unhealthy depending on where it is in the atmosphere. If it is high up in the atmosphere, it protects people from harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. However, if it is low in the atmosphere, it can hurt people's lungs. His monitoring site is located on Chews Ridge, more than 5,000 feet above sea level. The site allows Faloona to test air from across the Pacific before it comes into contact with U.S. pollution.
3 Which sentence from the section "Unfair Penalties?" is MOST important to the main idea of the article? It said health standards can be met despite the added pollution from Asia. Last year, pollution in the San Joaquin Valley area exceeded permissible pollution levels on several occasions. The district "shouldn t be penalized for pollution that comes from elsewhere, said district official Seyed Sadredin. Lawyer Jed Anderson said San Joaquin Valley's request is not going to be unique for very long. 4 Select the paragraph from the article that suggests some local communities and groups are less interested in where the pollution comes from than in how much pollution there actually is? Dolores Weller is director of the Central Valley Air Quality Coalition. She says the focus on ozone from Asia is the latest example of officials not focusing in on homegrown pollution." Officials are simply "continuing to look for exemptions and further excuses, she said. On Chews Ridge, Faloona has measured ozone concentrations as high as 80 parts per billion. He has also found evidence that the gas is mixing into the air in the San Joaquin Valley. It is boosting smog levels in such cities as Bakersfield and Fresno, he said. The attention to pollution from Asia is a major shift from past years. Los Angeles and other large cities battling crippling smog used to treat it as a local matter. Now, pollution is increasingly viewed as an international concern. People think of these pollutants as relatively short-lived and think they don t make it that far, Faloona said of Asian pollution. But we ve realized it s all connected.