"Air pollution from cars, trucks and buses in California disproportionately affects Latino and African-American residents, according to a new study.

The Union of Concerned Scientists found that exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5) for those groups is roughly 40 percent higher because of where they live. Income also matters: The study said the lowest-earning California households, or those making less than $20,000 annually, are exposed to 25 percent more particulate pollution than households that earn more than $200,000 per year.

'Residents in the communities most affected have known for generations there was a disproportionate amount of air pollution in their neighborhoods,' said David Reichmuth, a senior engineer at UCS and author of the analysis. 'This modeling allows us to quantify the extent of the disparity across the state.'"

Anne C. Mulkern reports for Climatewire February 6, 2019. [2]