What was the purpose of the Clean Air Act?
The Clean Air Act (CAA) (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.) is a comprehensive Federal law that regulates all sources of air emissions. The 1970 CAA authorized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and the environment.
What does the Clean Air Act state?
The Clean Air Act (CAA) is the comprehensive federal law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources.
How is the Clean Air Act not effective?
And for just as long, EPA’s efforts have been hampered by a tragic flaw in that statute: its exemption of existing industrial facilities—most notably, coal-fired power plants—from federal limits on some of the most common, and harmful, types of pollution.
Does the Clean Air Act work?
For more than forty-five years the Clean Air Act has cut pollution as the U.S. economy has grown. Clean Air Act programs have lowered levels of six common pollutants — particles, ozone, lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide — as well as numerous toxic pollutants.
Who does the Clean Air Act harm?
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, since the Clean Air Act was passed over 40 years ago, pollution levels have been cut dramatically, preventing the premature deaths of over 400,000 people as well as preventing hundreds of millions of people from contracting diseases related to air pollution.
How does the Clean Air Act of 1990 work?
November 15, 1990 marks a milestone in Clean Air Act history, the signing of the 1990 Amendments. These amendments set the stage for protecting the ozone layer, reducing acid rain and toxic pollutants, and improving air quality and visibility.
How is the Clean Air Act implemented?
The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 established an operating permit program for states to implement for major sources of air pollution, such as industrial facilities. Permits require stationary sources to measure and report how much pollution is released during a given period.
How does the Clean Air Act work?
Congress designed the Clean Air Act to protect public health and welfare from different types of air pollution caused by a diverse array of pollution sources. State plans also must control emissions that drift across state lines and harm air quality in downwind states.