EPA Ranks All 50 States: Which is the Most Polluted in US?

All 50 states were ranked by EPA to determine which state is most polluted in the US.

The "Best States" feature in US News and World Reports has ranked states based on a variety of factors, including economics, education, and health care. The listing also evaluates the natural environment of each state, which is based on its pollution and air/water quality levels.

Using data from the Environmental Protection Agency, pollution was calculated based on water and air emissions from utilities and industries, as well as overall metrics for long-term human health effects.

Top Ten Most Polluted States

With No. 50 being the most polluted, here are the states ranked from 50 down to 41.

50th place, Most Polluted: Louisiana

49th place: Nevada

48th place: Indiana

47th place: Delaware

46th place: Utah

45th place: Ohio

44th place: Oregon

43rd place: Tennessee

42nd place: Illinois

41st place: Alabama

Most Polluted: Louisiana

According to EPA data, Louisiana is the most polluted state in the United States, placing it dead last.

According to a Tulane University study published in January 2022, Louisiana has the second-highest incidence of cancer in the nation. The study discovered that exposure to pollutants was to blame for at least 85 cancer cases annually in the state. The authors included information for the "Cancer Alley" neighborhoods, which are located in the region between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

According to data from the EPA, Nevada is the second-most polluted state. In the American Lung Association's State of the Air report from just a year ago, Nevada was listed as one of the "unhealthiest" states for its air quality.

At the time, the manager of the Nevada ALA's Clean Air Advocacy, Melissa Ramos, claimed that the state's high emissions were in part due to the Classic Car loophole. Vehicles with specific license plates are excluded from emissions testing according to the state's Classic Vehicle Insurance regulations. However, beginning in 2023, there will be some restrictions on the use of vintage vehicles.

At 40th place, Texas follows Alabama.

Top 10 Least Polluted

With No. 1 being the least polluted, here are the states ranked from 10 down to 1.

10th place: Idaho

9th place: Colorado

8th place: Maine

7th place: Rhode Island

6th place: California

5th place: Wyoming

4th place: New Mexico

3rd place: South Dakota

2nd place: New Hampshire

1st place: Vermont

Vermont is aware of its generally favorable health status.

According to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Vermont has some of the best air quality in the country. However, the agency acknowledges that Vermont's air does contain some pollutants.

It's interesting to note that while California ranks sixth in terms of least polluted states, some of its cities are among the most polluted in the nation. The American Lung Association's study ranked cities according to their year-round particle pollution, levels of ozone pollution, and transient particle pollution. Los Angeles-Long Beach, Fresno-Madera-Hanford, Bakersfield, and Sacramento-Roseville are some of the California regions that made the ALA's list of the top 10 most polluted cities in each of the three pollution categories.

Pollutants

The EPA has identified and regulated carbon monoxide, ground-level ozone, lead, nitrogen oxides, particle pollution, and sulfur oxides as six common air pollutants. Particle pollution is also known as "particulate matter". Other air pollutants include benzene, asbestos, and fuel oils like kerosene, The Hill reports.