Approximately 700,000 pounds of hazardous chemicals were released into the air after an incident at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery, sending local citizens to the hospital. Though the residents had trouble breathing, the EPA air quality index and state regulators did not show any significant air quality issues.

A similar situation occurred in Superior, Wisconsin when an oil refinery leaked 17,000 barrels of asphalt, but there were no local air pollution monitors.

While many Americans depend on air quality measurements for their own health, the EPA has shown to have insufficient monitors in most locations, or even none at all.