The South Coast Air Basin had 14 more ozone violations than the San Joaquin Valley this year. Yet South Coast has a lot more pollution.

I looked at the numbers for the two gases that create ozone, and what a story they tell. South Coast puts out about a third more of one gas and nearly 50% more of the other.

The two pollutants are reactive organic gases (fumes from paints, gasoline and dairy waste) and oxides of nitrogen (gases from engine combustion).

Right about here, I usually say: South Coast has Pacific Ocean breezes to break up the ozone, and the Valley usually just cooks in the pollutants. Not a lot of breezes in this bowl.

What do you think? I'll just toss out another number to chew on. Population: Valley, nearly 4 million; South Coast, 16 million.