California dominates top 25 most polluted cities ranking — as state’s clean air shame laid bare

Source: New York Post

While California braces for new clean-air policies and an EV mandate that has been challenged, a new report reveals the state is as polluted as ever, with eight cities in the top 25 most-polluted in the nation. The American Lung Association released their 2026 State of the Air report, revealing both the cleanest and dirtiest cities, in terms of air quality. Bakersfield, California and the surrounding Delano area has remained the most-polluted, in terms of “year-round particle pollution,” out of 211 American metropolitan areas.