Press Briefing on Annual Report Card for Air Pollution in U.S. Counties and Cities

Register Now for the 'State of the Air' Embargoed Virtual Press Conference

WASHINGTON, April 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following advisory was issued today by the American Lung Association:

WHAT: The American Lung Association will release the results of its annual State of the Air report during an embargoed virtual press conference to be held via webinar and teleconference at 2:00 PM (EDT) on Tuesday, April 27, 2010. The 11th Annual American Lung Association State of the Air report includes a national air quality "report card" that assigns A-F grades to counties across the country. The State of the Air report also ranks cities and counties most affected by the most widespread types of air pollution (ozone -- or smog and particle pollution) and details trends for 900 counties over the past decade.

WHO:

Charles D. Connor, American Lung Association President and CEO

Norman H. Edelman, MD, American Lung Association Chief Medical Officer

Janice E. Nolen, American Lung Association Assistant Vice President of National Policy & Advocacy

WHEN: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at 2:00 PM (EDT)

WHY: Air pollution is a serious threat to public health. It sends people to the hospital, shapes how kids' lungs develop and can even be deadly. More than half of Americans are living in areas where pollution has reached unhealthy levels.

Searchable database of local city and county grades available at: www.stateoftheair.org on Wednesday, April 28, 2010 for public reference.

EMBARGO LIFTS: Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at 3:00 AM (EDT)

RSVP: Registration is required. To obtain access information for accredited journalists only, please contact: Catherine Sebold, 202-715-3450 or [email protected]

MULTIMEDIA TOOLKIT:   http://www.lungusa.org/press-room/state-of-the-air-media-center/

About the American Lung Association Now in its second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. With your generous support, the American Lung Association is "Fighting for Air" through research, education and advocacy. For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.lungusa.org.

SOURCE American Lung Association