The Clean Air Act

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The Clean Air Act
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History of Clean Air Act

• Air Pollution Control Act of 1955
• Clean Air Act of 1963
• Clean Air Act of 1970
• Major revision
• Core provisions
• Amended again in 1977 and 1990

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Statutory Goal of CAA

• to protect and enhance the quality of the
  Nations air resources so as to promote the
  public health and welfare and the productive
  capacity of its population

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Provisions

• National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS)
• From 1970 CWA
• law requires that EPA identify and set standards
  for pollutants identified as harmful to human
  health and the environment

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National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS)

• Six criteria pollutants
• Carbon monoxide
• Nitrogen dioxide
• Ozone
• Sulfur dioxide
• Particulate matter with aerodynamic size less
  than or equal to 10 micrometers (PM-10)
• Lead

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National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS)

• 2 Standards
• Primary standards
• Set limits to protect public health
• Secondary standards
• Set limits to protect against public welfare
  effects, such as damage to farm crops and
  vegetation, aesthetics, buildings, etc.
• Must be met by 1975

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National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS)

• Leaded gasoline phasedown
• By mid-1980s
• Was it successful?

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State Implementation Plans (SIP)

• While EPA is responsible for setting NAAQS, the
  states are responsible for establishing
  procedures to meet the standards
• State-level emission reduction strategies with
  the goal of achieving the NAAQS by the legislated
  date 
• What if a state fails to submit or implement an
  adequate SIP?
• Suspension of federal funding for major projects
  like highway and transit projects

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Emission Standards for Mobile Sources

• Cars and trucks
• 1990 amendments have significantly tightened
  emission standards
• Requires 77 to 95 emission reductions for
  2004-2009 models
• 97 reduction in the sulfur content of gasoline
  beginning 2004

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Emission Standards for Mobile Sources

• Clean-Fuel Fleet Program
• Alternative fuels
• Cleaner engines
• Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) standards
• For larger vehicles (10 or more passengers)
• Must purchase at least 30 clean-fuel vehicles
  when they add new vehicles to existing fleets
• 50 annually for heavy-duty fleets

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Emission Standards for Mobile Sources

• Californias Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program
• CAA grants CA the authority to develop its own
  vehicle emission standards as long as those
  standards meet the federal requirements
• Stricter standards

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Emission Standards for Mobile Sources

• Also set standards for diesel engines
• 90-95 reduction in emissions for 2000-2010 models

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New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)

• Requires EPA to establish nationally-uniform,
  technology-based standards for categories of new
  industrial facilities
• Consistent baseline for pollution control that
  competing firms must meet
• Preserve clean air to accommodate future growth

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New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)

• Establish new emission standards for new major
  stationary sources
• Examples power plants, steel mills
• Best adequately demonstrated continuous control
  technology available and taking cost into account

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New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)

• Also applies to existing facilities through a
  process called New Source Review (NSR)
• Before, these older facilities were exempted
• But continued to pollute so NSR was adopted

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Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD)

• Areas where air quality is better than that
  required by NAAQS should be protected from
  significant new air pollution even if NAAQS would
  not be violated

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Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD)

• 3 classes
• Class I National Parks, Wilderness areas,
  Wildlife refuges, etc.
• No decline allowed
• Class II All attainment and not classifiable
  areas
• Modest decline in air quality allowed
• Class III Selected areas that states may
  designate for development
• Large amount allowed but should be not exceed
  NAAQS

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Acid Deposition Control

• Added in 1990 amendment
• Reduction in SO2 emission
• 10 millions tons by 2000 from 1980 levels
• Reduction in NO2
• 2 million tons by 2000 from 1980 levels

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Permits

• Requires states to administer a comprehensive
  permit program for the operation of sources
  emitting air pollutants
• Annual fees are collected to cover reasonable
  costs of administering the permit program
• Revenues are to be used support air pollution
  control program

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Did CAA Work?
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SO2 Emissions
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NO2 Emissions
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VOC Emissions
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Particulate Matter Emissions
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CO Emissions