CT Wins EPA Battle, Kids' Breaths Still at Risk

0:00Connecticut just scored a big win in court, forcing the EPA to tackle ozone pollution drifting in from power plants and factories in the South and West. A fresh report from the American Lung Association says over 700,000 kids here are sucking in unhealthy air levels tied straight to asthma attacks and lifelong lung problems. Meanwhile, ozone small got worse in six out of eight counties over the last couple years, with Fairfield County topping the list as the dirtiest east of Texas. Pollution rides in from spots like Ohio and Pennsylvania, plus local traffic and building energy used crank it up, especially near highways. Parents and docs are sounding the alarm on how this hits kids hardest. Their lungs are still growing, they breathe more per pound than adults and hot. Summer days make it brutal. Hispanic families near highways and plants face the worst, dealing with higher asthma rates, sleepless nights, and extra heart issues. The good news, particle pollution from beasles, coal plants, and wildfires saw slight improvements in most counties, earning passing grades for yearly averages.

1:04But extreme heat and droughts are pushing ozone higher nationwide. As we push for cleaner air, this court ruling and report light of fire under everyone to keep the pressure on our kids' breaths depend on it. That's your update from Hartford News Today, powered by AI.