The Houston region continues to rank as one of the worst metros nationwide for air pollution, according to new data.

Why it matters: Air pollution is a serious threat to health, particularly for children, elderly people and those who have asthma or other lung conditions.

• The region has repeatedly failed to meet air quality standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The big picture: Nearly 40% of Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution, according to the American Lung Association's latest "State of the Air" report on ground-level ozone.

• Houston is the seventh worst out of 228 metro areas for its number of high ozone days.

Zoom in: Brazoria, Galveston, Harris and Montgomery counties all received Fs in the report.

Flashback: Houston led the state in the number of ozone action days in 2024 with 49, where excessive ozone is unhealthy for certain people.

• That was down from 51 days in 2023 and 55 in 2022.

Context: The EPA's strictest air quality standard, set in 2015, sets an ozone limit of 70 parts per billion.

Threat level: One-hour ozone levels last year in the Houston region reached 144 parts per billion, well above federal standards.

• In late March, Houston experienced five days of an eight-hour average of 81 parts per billion of ozone as the ozone season, which runs from March to November, kicks off.

Between the lines: President Trump has targeted environmental regulations, including by attempting to end bans on "forever chemicals" and boosting U.S. oil and gas production.

• Still, the federal air quality standards in the Clean Air Act — which has been updated several times since it was passed in the 1960s — are in place.

Yes, but: Not all of the ozone is from human-made pollution. Extreme heat and severe weather could be partly to blame.

Worthy of your time: Check Houston's air quality forecast on AirNow.

Metro has relaunched a nonstop bus route connecting downtown Houston to George Bush Intercontinental Airport — the first direct service in more than a decade.

Why it matters: Houston has limited public transit between the airport and downtown.

• Parking, rideshare and taxi costs add up quickly — but this new route offers an affordable alternative.

How it works: Launched this month, Route 500 IAH Downtown Direct runs daily for $4.50 each way 5:30am to 8pm, with buses running every 30 minutes between the George R. Brown Convention Center and the airport's Terminal C.

• From downtown, riders can connect to the Green and Purple METRORail lines, which are steps from the bus stop.

What they're saying: This is "truly the best option" for Houstonians "because it's easy, comfortable, the most cost-effective at only $4.50," Metro Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock said in a statement.

• "People needing to get to and from the airport can take this route that offers reduced travel time with a non-stop trip, shaves off time dealing with parking, and saves people money."

Route 102, Metro's Bush IAH Express, will continue running to downtown, though it is not a nonstop service.

The bottom line: Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for Houston Airports, said in a statement that the new route "improves access for travelers and convention attendees, removes friction from the travel experience, and strengthens our city's position as a global gateway."

Between the lines

🗣️ Some Harris County Democrats are rebuking Mayor John Whitmire as he plans to attend a fundraiser for Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw. (Houston Chronicle)

⚾ The Astros are the only MLB franchise to not offer direct-to-consumer game broadcasts. (Chron)

Police identified the man accused of shooting a Precinct 1 constable deputy downtown this week. The deputy is recovering in the hospital. (Houston Public Media)

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Young adults in Greater Houston live with their parents at slightly higher rates than the national average, per a recent analysis.

Why it matters: While living at home as a young adult is sometimes viewed as a "failure to launch," it can also reflect economic realities, cultural preferences, caregiving needs and other factors.

The big picture: Nearly 18% of U.S. adults aged 25-34 were living in a parent's home as of 2023, per a Pew Research Center analysis of census data.

• That's down a bit after steadily increasing from 2000-2017, a period marked by multiple financial crises that changed the leaving-home calculus for many young adults.

Zoom in: The Houston region's rate of adult children living at home in 2023 was 18.5%.

The bottom line: Even when young adults do move out, they often wind up close to home anyway.

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