Hyperlinks below access maps of air quality for each state.  The maps grade air quality in counties from A to F, with A being the best/cleanest in the US, and F being the worst/dirtiest.  For grading details, see the emission gradesheets and ambient gradesheets.

Because air masses flow readily across county lines, the maps restrict grade changes across county boundaries to one level, as C to D, and not C to F.  Therefore, a county’s neighbors may lower its grade from what appears on the

gradesheets.  The maps consider a county in the context of its neighboring counties, whereas the gradesheets consider counties individually.¹  Bordering counties may be in adjacent states.²

Click a state on the map or list to bring up its air quality map.  The first map in the list is an overview of the entire United States.  After viewing a map, click the browser’s back button/arrow to return to this index page.³

United States

Alabama

Alaska

American Samoa

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Guam

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Northern Mariana Islands

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Puerto Rico

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virgin Islands

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

¹ Gradesheet D’s and F’s remain.  Grades A, B, and C go to D if bordering counties are F.  Then, A and B go to C if bordering counties are D.  Then, grades A go to B if bordering counties are C.

² The maps assume bordering areas in Mexico and Canada do not modify levels in neighboring US counties.

³ For clear maps of county boundaries and names, see https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/.  Click on “MAP,” click on a state in the map of the U.S., select “Counties,” and move the cursor over counties to see county names and populations. For a guide on using Census.gov, see http://backgroundchecks.org/us-census-guide-how-to-get-the-most-out-of-census-gov.html.

Abstract: At Creative Methods, we try to “step outside the box” and look at fundamental issues in our world with new perspective.  Under the issue Air Quality, we present EPA data as maps and gradesheets that grade US counties A to F for 21 EPA measures of air quality.  The topics of air pollution and environmental health are serious issues in the US, and result in pollution health effects including headache, respiratory impairment, neurological impairment, mental impairment, asthma, lung disease, chronic fatigue, immune system dysfunction, premature aging, and reduced longevity.  Environmental science monitors air pollutant emissions, as well as criteria air pollutant concentrations through ambient monitoring.  The US Air Quality Gradebook (“AirGrades”) grades both emissions and ambient concentrations on maps and gradesheets, and assigns resultant composite scores to US counties.  Air pollutants include carbon monoxide, CO; lead, Pb; nitrogen dioxide, NO2; nitrogen oxides, NOx;

volatile organic compounds, VOC; ozone, O3; particulate matter smaller than 10 micrometers in size, PM10; particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers in size, PM2.5; ammonia, NH3; sulphur dioxide, SO2; hazardous air pollutants, HAP; diesel emissions; and acrolein.  Air pollution point sources include electric power generating facilities and industrial plants.  Area source emissions include wildfires, forest fires, open burning, permitted burning, structure fires, and fugitive dust.  Mobile sources include highway and off-road vehicles with internal combustion engines such as automobiles, trucks, trains, airplanes, snowmobiles, and all terrain vehicles (ATVs).  The maps, gradesheets, and source sheets demonstrate that clean air is at a premium in the US.  Sites presenting issues on health and the environment related to those presented under the topic Air Grades by Creative Methods at CreativeMethods.com are Scorecard at Scorecard.com and the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, at EPA.gov.