Dirty Truth: Smog Days Aplenty

Clean air progress is stalling in New Hampshire, according to the American Lung Association's 2014 State of the Air report. 

Hillsborough County, the only county to have more unhealthy days of high ozone, gets a D for a smog score. Three out of the six counties with particle pollution monitors saw a slight increase in year-round particle pollution levels compared to 2013.

Hillsborough County had eight high ozone days, compared to Rockingham County, which experienced six of those high smog days, according to the report. Other counties with monitors saw their ozone levels remain the same. Merrimack scored a B on the ozone score.

"New Hampshire’s air quality has certainly improved since the Lung Association started the'‘State of the Air' report 15 years ago," Rick Rumba, American Lung Association Board member, said in a press release. "Even though we experienced some additional unhealthy days of ozone and saw increased annual levels of particle pollution in some counties, the air quality is still far better than it was a decade ago. But we still remain concerned – particularly with regard to the increasing impact of smaller air pollution sources such as residential wood stoves and fireplaces in some areas of the state. The work is not done, and we must set stronger health standards for pollutants, continue to cleanup larger pollution sources, and encourage homeowners to burn wood more cleanly and efficiently using lower emitting EPA certified devices."

Excerpts from the 2014 State of the Air report:

Hillsborough County

• Ozone grade dropped from a C to a D ( 8 unhealthy days, 3 more than  2013)
• Short-term particle pollution grade remained an A (no unhealthy days)
• Annual level of particle pollution level improved slightly.
• Earned a place on the list of cleanest counties for short-term particle pollution

Merrimack County

• Ozone grade remained a B; (1 orange unhealthy air day, same as  in 2013)
• Short-term particle pollution grade remained a B; ( 1 orange unhealthy air day  same as  in 2013)
• Annual level of particle pollution slightly worse/higher

• Ozone grade remained a C (6 unhealthy days, same as 2013)
• Short-term particle pollution grade remained a B ( 1 red unhealthy day, same as 2013)
• Rockingham received a passing grade for annual particle pollution (There was insufficient data to give a grade in 2013)

The American Lung Association is calling for the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce carbon pollution from power plants, to strengthen and update ozone standards, and to issue strong standards to clean up new wood stoves, outdoor wood boilers and residential wood-burning devices.