Data Notice: Figures, rates, and statistics cited in this article are based on the most recent available data at time of writing and may reflect projections or prior-year figures. Always verify current numbers with official sources before making financial, medical, or educational decisions.

Environmental Health Risks by State: What to Watch For

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute environmental or health advice. Consult qualified environmental professionals for site-specific assessments.

Environmental health risks vary enormously by geography. A resident of California faces wildfire smoke exposure that someone in Maine never encounters, while communities in the Upper Midwest contend with radon concentrations that are largely absent in the Gulf Coast states. Understanding your state’s specific environmental profile is the first step toward protecting your family’s health. This guide maps the top environmental health concerns for every U.S. state and territory, drawing on EPA enforcement data, Superfund site inventories, air quality monitoring, water system violations, and state public health reporting.

National Overview

Before examining state-by-state risks, a national summary provides context for how the United States distributes environmental health burdens.

Superfund sites: The EPA’s National Priorities List (NPL) contains approximately ~1,340 active Superfund sites as of the most recent update, with approximately ~450 additional proposed or partially deleted sites. New Jersey has the most NPL sites of any state (~114), followed by California (~97) and Pennsylvania (~90). For tracking Superfund sites near you, see our Superfund site tracker.

Air quality nonattainment: Approximately ~137 million Americans live in counties that fail to meet at least one National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone, PM2.5, or other criteria pollutants. California accounts for the largest share, but nonattainment areas exist in approximately ~40 states.

Drinking water violations: In a recent reporting period, approximately ~5,000 public water systems serving ~21 million people had health-based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Texas, Oklahoma, and several rural states have the highest violation rates per capita.

Climate-driven risks: Wildfire smoke, extreme heat, flooding, and hurricane impacts are increasingly significant environmental health drivers, with their geographic distribution shifting as climate patterns change.

State-by-State Environmental Health Profiles

Northeast

Connecticut

• Top concerns: Radon (estimated ~30% of homes above ~4 pCi/L), aging lead water infrastructure, PFAS contamination near military facilities
• Superfund sites: ~15 NPL sites
• Notable: Yale/EPA studies document elevated PFAS in ~40% of tested private wells near Bradley Air National Guard Base

Delaware

• Top concerns: Industrial chemical contamination along the Delaware River corridor, poultry industry water contamination, sea-level rise and flooding
• Superfund sites: ~14 NPL sites
• Notable: Sussex County agricultural runoff contributes to nitrate levels exceeding ~10 mg/L in approximately ~12% of private wells tested

Maine

• Top concerns: PFAS contamination from biosolids (first state to ban land application of sewage sludge), arsenic in well water (natural geology), radon
• Superfund sites: ~12 NPL sites
• Notable: An estimated ~1 in ~10 private wells exceeds the ~10 ppb arsenic MCL; PFAS has forced closure of multiple dairy and beef farms

Maryland

• Top concerns: Chesapeake Bay nutrient pollution and harmful algal blooms, legacy industrial contamination in Baltimore, lead paint in aging housing stock
• Superfund sites: ~19 NPL sites
• Notable: Baltimore has approximately ~100,000 pre-1978 housing units with deteriorating lead paint, affecting primarily low-income communities

Massachusetts

• Top concerns: PFAS (state MCL of ~20 ppt sum of 6 PFAS — among the strictest), legacy industrial contamination (tanneries, electronics), radon in western counties
• Superfund sites: ~32 NPL sites
• Notable: Cape Cod’s sole-source aquifer serves ~250,000 people and has documented PFAS contamination from Joint Base Cape Cod, a military installation with decades of AFFF use

New Hampshire

• Top concerns: PFAS contamination (strict individual MCLs of ~12-15 ppt), arsenic in well water (~20% of wells above ~5 ppb), radon (~40% of homes above action level)
• Superfund sites: ~21 NPL sites
• Notable: The former Pease Air Force Base PFAS contamination affected drinking water for ~10,000 people and is one of the most studied PFAS-exposure communities in the country

New Jersey

• Top concerns: Industrial legacy contamination (most Superfund sites of any state at ~114), PFAS, lead water infrastructure, air quality in the urban corridor
• Superfund sites: ~114 NPL sites (highest in the nation)
• Notable: The Pompton Lakes DuPont site has contaminated groundwater across a ~40-block residential area; Newark’s lead service line replacement program covers approximately ~18,000 lines

New York

• Top concerns: Lead paint and lead water service lines (especially older housing in NYC and upstate cities), PFAS (MCL of ~10 ppt for PFOA and PFOS), legacy industrial contamination
• Superfund sites: ~82 NPL sites
• Notable: An estimated ~360,000 lead service lines remain in New York State; the Hoosick Falls PFAS contamination was among the first to draw national attention

Pennsylvania

• Top concerns: Radon (~40% of homes above action level — among the highest in the nation), legacy coal and steel industry contamination, fracking-related water contamination in the Marcellus Shale region
• Superfund sites: ~90 NPL sites
• Notable: The Lehigh Valley and Reading areas have some of the highest documented indoor radon levels in the country, with individual readings exceeding ~100 pCi/L in some homes

Rhode Island

• Top concerns: Legacy industrial contamination (textiles, jewelry manufacturing), PFAS, lead paint in older housing
• Superfund sites: ~12 NPL sites
• Notable: Providence has approximately ~85% pre-1978 housing stock, creating widespread potential for lead paint exposure

Vermont

• Top concerns: PFAS (state MCL of ~20 ppt sum of 5 PFAS), radon, legacy industrial contamination, flooding and infrastructure vulnerability
• Superfund sites: ~12 NPL sites
• Notable: The former Bennington PFAS plume from a manufacturing facility contaminated ~100+ private wells

Southeast

Alabama

• Top concerns: Industrial air emissions in the “Cancer Alley” corridor, coal ash contamination, legacy industrial waste
• Superfund sites: ~15 NPL sites
• Notable: North Birmingham communities near coke ovens and steel facilities have documented elevated cancer rates and soil contamination

Florida

• Top concerns: Red tide (harmful algal blooms), phosphate mining legacy, PFAS near military installations, sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion into aquifers
• Superfund sites: ~53 NPL sites
• Notable: The Piney Point phosphogypsum stack near Tampa Bay released approximately ~215 million gallons of contaminated wastewater in 2021; blue-green algae blooms on Lake Okeechobee affect downstream water quality for millions. For detailed Florida water data, see our Florida water quality guide.

Georgia

• Top concerns: Industrial air quality in metro Atlanta (ozone nonattainment), coal ash ponds, legacy manufacturing contamination, heat-related illness
• Superfund sites: ~17 NPL sites
• Notable: Plant Scherer in Monroe County is one of the largest coal-fired power plants in the Western Hemisphere; metro Atlanta ozone exceedance days average approximately ~15 to ~25 per year

Kentucky

• Top concerns: Coal industry legacy (mine drainage, coal ash, air quality), radon, drinking water infrastructure in rural systems
• Superfund sites: ~13 NPL sites
• Notable: Martin County’s water system, serving ~10,000 people, has experienced chronic quality and reliability failures, with approximately ~40% water loss from leaking distribution lines

Louisiana

• Top concerns: Petrochemical corridor air quality (“Cancer Alley” between Baton Rouge and New Orleans), legacy oil and gas contamination, hurricane and flood risks, lead in drinking water
• Superfund sites: ~15 NPL sites
• Notable: The ~85-mile stretch of the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans hosts approximately ~150 petrochemical facilities; air monitoring has documented formaldehyde, benzene, and ethylene oxide concentrations significantly above national averages in fence-line communities

Mississippi

• Top concerns: Industrial contamination in the Gulf Coast region, drinking water infrastructure failures, legacy agricultural contamination
• Superfund sites: ~9 NPL sites
• Notable: Jackson’s water system experienced a total system failure in 2022 affecting ~180,000 residents; the city’s water infrastructure requires an estimated ~$1 billion+ in repairs

North Carolina

• Top concerns: GenX/PFAS contamination in the Cape Fear River watershed, coal ash contamination, hog farm waste and water quality, radon in western mountains
• Superfund sites: ~39 NPL sites
• Notable: The Chemours Fayetteville Works facility discharged GenX and other PFAS into the Cape Fear River, affecting drinking water for approximately ~350,000 people downstream

South Carolina

• Top concerns: Legacy military/nuclear contamination (Savannah River Site), coal ash ponds, industrial air emissions, flooding
• Superfund sites: ~25 NPL sites
• Notable: The Savannah River Site is one of the largest nuclear waste cleanup projects in the world, covering ~310 square miles

Tennessee

• Top concerns: Air quality in the Tennessee Valley (ozone, PM2.5), legacy industrial contamination (Oak Ridge National Laboratory), coal ash, radon in eastern counties
• Superfund sites: ~18 NPL sites
• Notable: The 2008 Kingston Fossil Plant coal ash spill released ~5.4 million cubic yards of coal ash slurry, the largest industrial spill in U.S. history; cleanup workers have experienced elevated illness and mortality rates

Virginia

• Top concerns: Military base PFAS contamination, coal ash contamination along the James and Dan Rivers, radon in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge regions, Chesapeake Bay water quality
• Superfund sites: ~31 NPL sites
• Notable: Approximately ~20% of Virginia homes tested for radon exceed the ~4 pCi/L action level

West Virginia

• Top concerns: Chemical industry contamination (DuPont/Chemours PFOA legacy in Parkersburg), coal industry water and air quality, aging drinking water infrastructure
• Superfund sites: ~10 NPL sites
• Notable: The C8 (PFOA) contamination from DuPont’s Washington Works plant is one of the most documented environmental contamination events in history, leading to the C8 Health Project involving ~70,000 participants

Midwest

Illinois

• Top concerns: Legacy industrial contamination in the Chicago metro area, lead service lines, coal ash, ethylene oxide emissions, agricultural chemical contamination
• Superfund sites: ~46 NPL sites
• Notable: The Sterigenics facility in Willowbrook emitted ethylene oxide at levels that the EPA modeled as producing a cancer risk approximately ~9 times the acceptable threshold for nearby residents. For Chicago-specific air quality, see our Chicago air quality guide.

Indiana

• Top concerns: Industrial air quality (steel mills, refineries in northwest Indiana), coal ash, legacy contamination, agricultural nitrate in groundwater
• Superfund sites: ~39 NPL sites
• Notable: Northwest Indiana communities in Gary, East Chicago, and Hammond face cumulative exposure to industrial emissions, legacy lead contamination, and steel mill particulates

Iowa

• Top concerns: Agricultural nitrate contamination in drinking water (highest national rates), radon (among the highest state averages), pesticide contamination, CAFO air quality
• Superfund sites: ~12 NPL sites
• Notable: Iowa has the highest average indoor radon levels of any state, with approximately ~72% of homes above the ~4 pCi/L action level; approximately ~25% of private wells exceed ~10 mg/L nitrate

Michigan

• Top concerns: PFAS contamination (strict state MCLs), legacy auto industry contamination, lead in drinking water (Flint crisis legacy), arsenic in well water
• Superfund sites: ~65 NPL sites
• Notable: The Flint water crisis (2014-2019) exposed approximately ~100,000 residents to elevated lead; Michigan has identified ~200+ PFAS contamination sites statewide

Minnesota

• Top concerns: PFAS contamination (3M legacy in the east metro), radon (~45% of homes above action level), agricultural groundwater contamination, mining (taconite/asbestos-like fibers)
• Superfund sites: ~25 NPL sites
• Notable: The 3M-Oakdale/Washington County PFAS plume has affected groundwater supplies for multiple east-metro communities; the settlement and cleanup costs have exceeded ~$850 million

Missouri

• Top concerns: Legacy nuclear weapons production contamination (Coldwater Creek, downtown St. Louis), lead mining contamination, radon, aging drinking water infrastructure
• Superfund sites: ~33 NPL sites
• Notable: The West Lake Landfill near St. Louis contains radiologically contaminated material from the Manhattan Project, adjacent to a subsurface smoldering event; the Superfund cleanup cost is estimated at ~$200+ million

Ohio

• Top concerns: Legacy industrial contamination (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Akron), coal ash, lead service lines, radon in eastern counties, PFAS near military bases
• Superfund sites: ~38 NPL sites
• Notable: Approximately ~4.5 million Ohio residents live within ~3 miles of at least one Superfund site; Toledo’s Lake Erie water source experiences recurring harmful algal blooms from agricultural phosphorus loading

Wisconsin

• Top concerns: PFAS contamination (proposed MCL of ~20 ppt), legacy tannery and paper mill contamination, nitrate in agricultural areas, radon in southern counties
• Superfund sites: ~37 NPL sites
• Notable: The Tyco Fire Products/Johnson Controls PFAS contamination in Marinette has affected private wells across a multi-square-mile plume

West and Southwest

Arizona

• Top concerns: Groundwater contamination (TCE, PCE legacy plumes in Tucson and Phoenix), arsenic in well water, extreme heat, ozone
• Superfund sites: ~9 NPL sites
• Notable: The Tucson International Airport Area Superfund site is one of the largest TCE groundwater plumes in the country, spanning approximately ~30 square miles

California

• Top concerns: Wildfire smoke (PM2.5), ozone nonattainment (Central Valley, South Coast), agricultural pesticide exposure, PFAS, industrial contamination, drought and water scarcity
• Superfund sites: ~97 NPL sites
• Notable: California has the most ozone nonattainment areas of any state; the Central Valley experiences some of the worst air quality in the nation, with PM2.5 and ozone levels that exceed federal standards for approximately ~60 to ~100 days per year

Colorado

• Top concerns: Radon (~50% of homes above action level), wildfire smoke, uranium mine legacy contamination, PFAS near military installations, altitude-amplified UV exposure
• Superfund sites: ~19 NPL sites
• Notable: The Rocky Mountain Arsenal near Denver was once called “the most contaminated square mile on earth” due to decades of chemical weapons and pesticide manufacturing

Montana

• Top concerns: Legacy mining contamination (Butte/Anaconda copper mining), asbestos (Libby vermiculite mine), wildfire smoke, arsenic in well water
• Superfund sites: ~16 NPL sites
• Notable: The Libby asbestos disaster, where W.R. Grace’s vermiculite mine released tremolite asbestos fibers, has killed approximately ~400 people and sickened ~3,000+; the Butte Superfund complex is the largest in the nation by area

Nevada

• Top concerns: Nuclear testing legacy contamination (Nevada National Security Site), mining contamination, extreme heat, perchlorate in groundwater near Las Vegas
• Superfund sites: ~1 NPL site (low count partly due to federal land status of contaminated areas)
• Notable: Atmospheric nuclear testing from 1951-1962 at the Nevada Test Site deposited fallout across the state and downwind areas

New Mexico

• Top concerns: Legacy nuclear and military contamination (Los Alamos, Sandia, White Sands), uranium mining contamination on Navajo lands, arsenic in well water, ozone
• Superfund sites: ~16 NPL sites
• Notable: Approximately ~500 abandoned uranium mines on the Navajo Nation have contaminated groundwater, soil, and homes; approximately ~30% of Navajo residents lack access to piped water, relying on unregulated sources

Oregon

• Top concerns: Wildfire smoke, legacy industrial contamination in Portland, air toxics (heavy metals from glass manufacturing), radon in southern and eastern regions
• Superfund sites: ~14 NPL sites
• Notable: The Portland Harbor Superfund site spans ~10 miles of the Willamette River, contaminated by decades of industrial activity; Portland has documented elevated cadmium and arsenic from glass manufacturing emissions

Texas

• Top concerns: Petrochemical corridor air quality (Houston Ship Channel), industrial water contamination, lead in aging water systems, extreme heat, hurricane flooding
• Superfund sites: ~54 NPL sites
• Notable: Harris County (Houston) has approximately ~400 major industrial facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act; the Houston Ship Channel area has documented elevated cancer rates in fence-line communities. See our Houston air quality guide and Texas water quality guide for detailed data.

Utah

• Top concerns: Winter inversions and PM2.5 (Salt Lake City, Provo), legacy mining contamination, Great Salt Lake dust (arsenic-laden), wildfire smoke
• Superfund sites: ~18 NPL sites
• Notable: The shrinking Great Salt Lake is exposing approximately ~800 square miles of lakebed containing elevated arsenic, mercury, and other metals, creating a potential new airborne exposure pathway

Washington

• Top concerns: Wildfire smoke, Hanford nuclear site contamination (largest nuclear waste cleanup in the Western Hemisphere), PFAS near military bases, arsenic in well water
• Superfund sites: ~48 NPL sites
• Notable: The Hanford Site contains approximately ~56 million gallons of radioactive waste in ~177 underground tanks, some of which have leaked into groundwater; cleanup cost estimates exceed ~$300 billion over decades

Alaska and Hawaii

Alaska

• Top concerns: Military base contamination (PFAS at ~80+ sites), legacy mining, permafrost thaw releasing contaminants, food chain contamination (mercury, PCBs in marine mammals), remote community water infrastructure
• Superfund sites: ~6 NPL sites
• Notable: Many rural Alaska communities lack piped water and sewer, relying on hauled water; approximately ~30 communities face imminent threats from coastal erosion and permafrost thaw

Hawaii

• Top concerns: Military contamination (Red Hill fuel storage facility leaked ~20,000 gallons of jet fuel into groundwater serving ~93,000 people), vog (volcanic smog), pesticide legacy on agricultural land
• Superfund sites: ~3 NPL sites
• Notable: The 2021 Red Hill jet fuel contamination shut down the Navy’s drinking water system serving military families and forced a permanent closure decision for the ~250-million-gallon underground storage facility

Emerging and Climate-Driven Risks

Several environmental health threats are intensifying across state boundaries, driven by climate change and industrial expansion.

Wildfire Smoke

Wildfire smoke exposure has expanded from a Western-state phenomenon to a nationwide concern. The 2023 Canadian wildfire season sent PM2.5 levels above ~200 ug/m3 across the Northeast and Midwest — regions with historically minimal wildfire smoke exposure. An estimated ~100 million Americans were under air quality alerts during that event. Wildfire smoke contains PM2.5, ozone precursors, PAHs, and volatile metals at concentrations that correlate with emergency department visits for respiratory and cardiovascular events. Long-term health effects of repeated seasonal exposure are under active study, with preliminary evidence suggesting cumulative lung function reduction and increased dementia risk.

Extreme Heat

Heat-related mortality in the United States has increased approximately ~50% over the past two decades. An estimated ~700 to ~1,700 heat-related deaths occur annually, with significant underreporting suspected. Urban heat islands amplify outdoor temperatures by ~5 to ~10 degrees F in city centers compared to surrounding areas. Southern and southwestern states bear the highest burden, but northern cities without widespread air conditioning are increasingly vulnerable during heat waves. Maricopa County (Phoenix) alone reported ~645 heat-associated deaths in a recent extreme heat year.

Harmful Algal Blooms

Warming water temperatures, nutrient loading from agriculture, and altered hydrology are driving increased frequency and geographic range of harmful algal blooms (HABs). Cyanobacterial blooms produce hepatotoxins (microcystins) and neurotoxins (anatoxins, BMAA) that contaminate drinking water sources, recreational waters, and fish. Lake Erie, Florida’s coastline, and the Gulf of Mexico are the most affected areas, but HABs now occur in all 50 states. The estimated economic impact of HABs in the United States exceeds ~$4 billion per year through water treatment costs, fishery closures, tourism losses, and healthcare.

PFAS as a National Issue

As detailed in our PFAS complete guide, PFAS contamination has been documented in drinking water systems in every state. The geographic pattern correlates with military base density, industrial manufacturing history, and biosolids application practices. States are moving at different speeds on regulation, creating a patchwork of protections that leaves residents in some states with enforceable limits of ~4 ppt while neighboring states have no state-specific standard beyond the federal rule.

Environmental Justice Mapping

The EPA’s EJScreen tool and state-level environmental justice mapping tools allow residents to assess cumulative environmental burden by census tract. These tools combine data on air quality, proximity to hazardous waste sites, water quality violations, traffic density, and sociodemographic indicators. States including California (CalEnviroScreen), New Jersey (NJ EJ Mapping Tool), and New York (Climate Justice Working Group maps) have developed state-specific tools that are more granular than federal resources. Using these tools to understand your community’s cumulative exposure profile is increasingly recognized as an essential step in environmental health protection.

Protection Steps for Any State

Regardless of your specific state profile, these actions apply universally:

1. Test your water — at minimum for lead (pre-1986 homes) and PFAS (if near military, industrial, or agricultural contamination sources). Private well owners should test annually for bacteria and nitrate.

2. Test for radon — long-term test kits cost under ~$40 and are essential in any state, though especially critical in the Midwest, Appalachia, and Mountain West where ~30% to ~70% of homes may exceed the ~4 pCi/L action level.

3. Monitor local air quality — use AirNow.gov or a personal PM2.5 monitor, particularly during wildfire season (increasingly relevant in western and central states) and ozone season (summer months in urban areas).

4. Check your state’s Superfund and contamination databases — every state environmental agency maintains a list of known contaminated sites; proximity matters because groundwater plumes can extend miles from the source.

5. Review your annual water quality report — identify contaminants near MCLs and any violations; compare against state-specific standards if your state has adopted stricter limits than federal.

6. Understand environmental justice dimensions — pollution exposure is not evenly distributed; communities of color and low-income communities bear disproportionate burdens in virtually every state.

Key Takeaways

• Environmental health risks vary dramatically by state, from radon in Iowa (~72% of homes above action level) to petrochemical air emissions in Louisiana to wildfire smoke in California.
• New Jersey has the most Superfund sites of any state (~114), but California (~97), Pennsylvania (~90), and New York (~82) also carry heavy contamination legacies from industrial history.
• Approximately ~21 million Americans are served by public water systems with health-based drinking water violations, with Texas, Oklahoma, and rural systems showing the highest per-capita violation rates.
• PFAS contamination is a nationwide concern driven by military base AFFF use, industrial manufacturing, and biosolids application; at least ~12 states have adopted enforceable standards stricter than or parallel to federal MCLs.
• Climate-driven risks (wildfire smoke, extreme heat, flooding, algal blooms) are intensifying and increasingly crossing traditional geographic boundaries.
• Universal protective actions — testing water, testing for radon, monitoring air quality, and checking contamination databases — apply regardless of state.

Next Steps

• AI Superfund Site Tracker for identifying contaminated sites near your home and tracking cleanup progress.
• AI Air Quality Chicago for detailed city-level air quality analysis and monitoring recommendations.
• AI Water Quality New York for state-specific drinking water data and infrastructure assessment.
• Children’s Environmental Health Guide for protecting children from the environmental risks most prevalent in your state.

---

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute environmental or health advice. Consult qualified environmental professionals for site-specific assessments.