> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.cascadepbs.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Clearing the Air: The War on Smog
- URL: https://www.cascadepbs.org/show/american-experience/episode/clearing-the-air-the-war-on-smog-e46esk/
- Published: 2025-08-25T14:45:55.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-19T19:30:52.000Z
- Description: The story of L.A.’s noxious smog problem and the creation of the EPA and Clean Air Act.
- Author: Cascade PBS Staff
- Tags: American Experience, Season 37, Episode 4, #ZZZ_Episode_0ed254cb-5b02-4787-9f2e-534e3d7013d8, #episode, #ZZZ_Show_565410c5-fa6f-4aa6-b2bd-9f1fcdc0e587, #v1.16, #home-hero-slot-ca-5

In 1943, dark, smoky clouds enveloped Los Angeles, causing residents to complain of burning eyes, nausea, and difficulty breathing. The source of the smog was a mystery. CLEARING THE AIR: THE WAR ON SMOG is the story of the epic struggle for clean air, involving years of scientific study and civic pressure that would lead to the creation of the EPA and the Clean Air Act. From AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.