Top 20 CO2-Polluting U.S. Cities and Suburbs

Reuters today details more information from the Vulcan project, which provides the first good way to compare the carbon pollution emanating from different regions.

The result? Houston, with its petrochemical hub, and Los Angeles, with its freeways, top the list. Some surprises that aren't that surprising also show how suburbs, with extensive traffic problems of their own and the power plants that electrify neighboring cities, are also high up the list. (Also no shocker: Carbon, Pa., made the list.)

Here's the Top 20 list, with carbon dioxide emissions listed in millions of tons per year:

1. Harris, Texas (Houston), 18.625

2. Los Angeles, Calif. (Los Angeles), 18.595

3. Cook, Ill. (Chicago), 13.209

4. Cuyahoga, Ohio (Cleveland), 11.144

5. Wayne, Mich. (Detroit), 8.270

6. San Juan, N.M. (Farmington), 8.245

7. Santa Clara, Calif. (San Jose), 7.995

8. Jefferson, Ala. (Birmingham), 7.951

9. Wilcox, Ala. (Camden), 7.615

10. East Baton Rouge, La. (Baton Rouge), 7.322

11. Titus, Texas (Mt. Pleasant), 7.244

12. Carbon, Pa. (Jim Thorpe), 6.534

13. Porter, Ind. (Valparaiso), 6.331

14. Jefferson, Ohio (Steubenville), 6.278

15. Indiana, Pa. (Indiana), 6.224

16. Middlesex, Mass. (Boston metro area), 6.198

17. Bexar, Texas (San Antonio), 6.141

18. Hillsborough, Fla. (Tampa), 6.037

19. Suffolk, N.Y. (New York metro area), 6.030

20. Clark, Nev. (Las Vegas) 5.955

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