Report: Bay Area Air Breathes Better But Pollution Still Takes Deadly Toll

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)  -- Despite some dramatic improvements in Bay Area air quality over the last 20 years, pollution remains a significant factor in thousands of premature deaths every year.

The draft version of the Clean Air Plan released Friday touts the success of pollution regulations since 1990, including improving overall life expectancy in the Bay Area by an average of five years.

David Burch of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District said the next phase of air regulation need to target ground level ozone and emissions sources more difficult to control.

“We’ve already picked most of the low hanging fruit,” said David Burch with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

Burch told the regional planners at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission that the next phase of air quality regulation would involve promoting clean technology vehicles in order to limit tailpipe emissions.

  KCBS' George Harris reports