New Jersey is the fifth-smoggiest state in the nation, according to a report that was released today by the nonprofit
organization Environment New Jersey. The report was compiled using federal Environmental Protection Agency air readings and ranked 5th in the nation by analyzing the number of days with elevated smog levels compared to the rest of the country.
New Jersey, had 35 more smoggy days in 2010 than Ohio and New York. It was tied with Pennsylvania.
The Garden State also encompasses four of the 20 areas with the most smog days. They include Camden and the greater Philadelphia area (ranked 8th), Monmouth-Ocean (15th), Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon (17th) and Trenton (20th). Parts of Southern California took the top five spots.
Environmentalists who gathered in the Ocean County Park in Lakewood today pointed to the statistics as proof the tougher air quality regulations should be put into place as soon as possible.
"The problem is even worse than the public thought," said Megan Fitzpatrick of Environment New Jersey.
"People think of Newark and Camden when they think of smog, but it’s also in the suburbs," said Jeff Tittel, executive director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. "Here in New Jersey, we have some of the worst air pollution in the country."
The health effects on asthma and heart attacks are well-documented in medical publications.
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http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/09/nj_is_the_5th_smoggiest_state.html
Dawn Marie White
Broker-Sales Manager
Crossroads Realty Inc
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