The Hispanic Access Foundation released its alarming air quality findings last month from its El Aire Que Respiramos (The Air We Breathe) Latino community science air pollution monitoring program, conducted in partnership with the EPA.
The data reveal that average fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution in several Texas cities — Weslaco (9.3 µg/m³), McAllen (8.9 µg/m³), and El Paso (6.7 µg/m³) — is nearing or exceeding the EPA’s updated safety threshold of 9 µg/m³.
Through El Aire Que Respiramos, three Latino-serving churches in McAllen, Weslaco, and El Paso measured PM2.5 — microscopic air-borne pollutants that can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream and directly contribute to asthma, lung cancer, stroke, neurological disorders, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and prenatal development impairment and low birth weight — using PurpleAir PA-II-SD sensors.
Hilda Berganza, Climate Program Manager at Hispanic Access Foundation, joined KTSM 9 News prime-time anchor Andy Morgan live at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3, to discuss the findings and raise awareness in the local community.
“Community science is one of the most powerful tools for advocacy,” said Berganza. “When Latino communities have the tools, knowledge, and resources to monitor their own air quality, they gain more than data — they gain agency and the power to drive lasting change.”
The program measured air quality from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2024, revealing both regional and seasonal pollution trends.
El Paso maintained annual PM2.5 concentrations within EPA standards — averaging 6.7 µg/m³ — but still experienced short-term exceedances in October and December. Despite meeting fine particulate standards overall, El Paso continues to struggle with ozone pollution, ranking as the ninth most polluted U.S. city for ozone in the 2024 IQAir World Air Quality Report.
Texas is one of several states participating in El Aire Que Respiramos, alongside sites in California, Idaho, Illinois, and Nevada. The program not only generates local data, but also builds national awareness about the burden of air pollution on Latino communities.
El Aire Que Respiramos continues to collect data for 2025, with those findings expected to produce similar results in 2026.