Nearly half of U.S. kids are breathing unhealthy air, report says. These are the cleanest and most polluted cities.

Key Points:

• Nearly 152 million Americans, including 33 million children, live in areas with unhealthy air pollution levels, according to the American Lung Association's latest State of the Air report, highlighting risks to developing lungs and increased vulnerability in youth.
• The report found a rise in unhealthy smog exposure, with nearly 4 million more people affected between 2022 and 2024 compared to the previous period, though soot pollution levels showed some improvement.
• Bakersfield, California, ranks as the most polluted U.S. city for year-round particle pollution, with other highly polluted cities located primarily in California and Texas, while Bozeman, Montana, and Casper, Wyoming, were noted as the cleanest.
• The report raised concerns about data centers for artificial intelligence contributing to air pollution and called for stricter pollution controls on these facilities.
• The American Lung Association criticized recent EPA rollbacks under the Trump administration, including the repeal of the "endangerment finding," warning that weakening regulations threatens children's health by increasing exposure to harmful pollutants.