Phoenix ranks in top 30 smoggiest cities in US

PHOENIX - It's so easy to blame difficulty breathing and water eyes on allergies. But it may not be allergies causing the discomforts in Phoenix.

A new report released by Environment Arizona shows Phoenix one of the smoggiest cities to live in the U.S.

Environment Arizona gathered its statistics through a network of EPA ozone air quality monitors and is ranking Phoenix as No. 26 in the nation.

"We think Arizonans deserve to breath clean air and we'd like to see steps taken to clean up our air," said Bret Fanshaw, environmental associate with Environment Arizona.

Fanshaw says the organization is calling on Congress and President Barack Obama to make changes to the federal government's standards for ozone levels.

"We'd like to see it reduced to 60 or 70 parts per billion, right now its at 75," said Fanshaw.

"There's a new generation and we want a higher standard," said Will Green with Arizona Student Environmental Coalition or ASEC.

But until Congress acts Fanshaw said there are ways you can help. It's as simple as watching the way you drive and how often you drive.

"Pay attention to what you drive, do you really need to be driving and do you really need to be idling your car. It all adds to the ozone," he said.

If not, Environment Arizona warns Phoenix may move from bad to worse.

Data in 2011 shows Phoenix has already doubled its smoggy days and the year is not over yet.

"If this report was coming out with 2011 data, we'd be number 10 in the country for smoggiest cities," said Fanshaw.