American Lung Association Report: Erie-Meadville, PA Metro Area’s Ozone Smog and Daily Particle Pollution Worsen, A Grades Dropping to C’s; Residents Exposed to More Unhealthy Air

Today, the American Lung Association released the 2025 “State of the Air” report, which reveals that Erie-Meadville, PA metro area was named 130th most polluted in the nation for ozone pollution and 104th worst for short-term particle pollution as wildfire smoke contributes to poorer air quality. The metro area dropped from A to C grades for both measures. Nationally, the report found that 156 million people (46%) are living in areas that had unhealthy levels of air pollution.

The Lung Association’s 26th annual “State of the Air” report grades exposure to unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone air pollution (also known as smog), and year-round and short-term spikes in particle pollution (also known as soot) over a three-year period. The report looks at the latest quality-assured air quality data from 2021-2023.

"The air pollutants highlighted in this report are widespread and pose a risk to everyone’s health. Both ozone and particle pollution can lead to premature death and cause serious health issues such as asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes, preterm births, and even problems with cognitive function later in life. Particle pollution can also increase the risk of lung cancer,” said Elizabeth Hensil, Director of Advocacy in Pennsylvania for the American Lung Association 

“Sadly, too many people in the metro area are living with dangerous levels of ozone and particle pollution. This pollution is making kids have asthma attacks, causing people who work outdoors to get sick and unable to work, and even contributing to low birth weight in babies. We’re urging Pennsylvania policymakers to take action to improve our air quality. We’re also calling on everyone to support the vital work of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).” 

Ground-level Ozone Pollution in the Erie-Meadville, PA metro area:

The “State of the Air” report looked at levels of ozone “smog,” the air pollutant affecting the largest number of people in the United States. The metro area ranked 130th worst in the nation for ozone pollution. The ranking was based on the area’s worst county’s average number of unhealthy days—1 day per year, a C grade, in Erie County, Pennsylvania. This was worse than the area's ranking in last year's report among the nation's cleanest cities, with 0 days per year, an A grade. 

Particle Pollution in the Erie-Meadville, PA metro area:

The report also tracked short-term spikes in particle pollution, which can be extremely dangerous and even deadly. The metro area ranked 104th worst in the nation for short-term particle pollution. The ranking was based on the area’s worst county’s average number of unhealthy days—1.8 days per year, a C grade, in Erie County, Pennsylvania. This was worse than the area's ranking in last year's report among the nation's cleanest cities, with 0 days per year, an A grade. 

For the year-round average level of particle pollution, the metro area again had incomplete data to determine if it earned a passing grade with respect to the federal standard. The Erie-Meadville, PA metro area was therefore unranked in both this year's and last year’s reports.

In addition to the Erie-Meadville, PA metro area, other notable findings across Pennsylvania include:

• Pittsburgh-Weirton-Steubenville, PA-OH-WV. Both measures of particle pollution worsen in the area, ranking worst in Mid-Atlantic for both, 16th worst in country for daily particle pollution, 12th worst for the year-round average of particle pollution. Ozone smog again earns a D.
• Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD ranked 3rd worst in Mid-Atlantic for both ozone smog and daily particle pollution. It also ranked 26th worst in the country for year-round particle levels, 2nd worst in the Mid-Atlantic. 
• Harrisburg-York-Lebanon metro area worsens for both ozone smog and daily particle pollution, dropping from B to D for ozone smog and from C to F for daily particle pollution. The metro area ranks third worst in the Mid-Atlantic (32nd worst in nation) with a failing grade for year-round particle pollution.

The “State of the Air” report found that 156 million people in the U.S. (46%) live in an area that received a failing grade for at least one measure of air pollution and 42.5 million people live in areas with failing grades for all three measures. The report also found that a person of color in the U.S. is more than twice as likely as a white individual to live in a community with a failing grade on all three pollution measures. Notably, Hispanic individuals are nearly three times as likely as white individuals to live in a community with three failing grades.

In this year’s “State of the Air” report, the Lung Association is calling on everyone to support the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA is essential to protecting people’s health from ozone and particle pollution. Without EPA staff and programs, families won’t know what’s in the air they are breathing, and efforts to clean up air pollution will be undone. Join the American Lung Association in advocating to protect EPA’s expert staff and lifesaving programs. See the full report results and take action at Lung.org/sota.

Get involved and help the mission of American Lung Association. LUNG FORCE Walk in Pittsburgh is coming up on April 27 at the North Park Boathouse. Learn more at LUNGFORCE.org/pittsburgh.