The Chamber of Commerce sells the mountain hamlet of Crestline like this: "closer to Southern California's major cities than any other mountain community....yet worlds away!"

Turns out, it's not really worlds away this year in terms of air pollution. This sleepy place, nestled in the San Bernardino Mountains, has violated the federal ozone standard more days this year than any other place in the country.

A city of 11,000 people at 4,613 feet in elevation has worse air quality than downtown L.A., Fresno, Bakersfield -- or pick any city you want. New York, Chicago, Miami, Denver, Houston, Dallas, Boston, Philadelphia.

There is no big city anywhere in the United States that's even close this year. Crestline -- a city that is largely devoid of rush-hour traffic -- has 89 violations this summer.

Little Crestline is downwind of the L.A. metro mess. Just like Sequoia National Park is downwind of the San Joaquin Valley's pollution.

In fact, whenever talk turns to the worst ozone traps over the last decade, Crestline must be mentioned right alongside Arvin in Kern County. Both are victims of pollution that they did not create.