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Author: James E McCarthy
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Languages : en
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The Clean Air Act and its 1990 amendments appear to have contributed to a marked improvement in air quality nationwide. Of nearly 100 metropolitan areas not meeting air quality standards for ozone in 1990, more than two-thirds now do so. Even greater progress has been achieved with carbon monoxide: 36 of 42 areas not in attainment in 1990 now meet the standard. Nevertheless, EPA remains concerned about air pollution. In 1997, the Agency promulgated major revisions to its air quality standards for ozone and particulates, an action that would require most states and urban areas to establish additional controls on a wide range of pollution sources. The revised standards were challenged by numerous parties and the courts have remanded the standards to EPA. Implementation is currently in limbo, pending resolution of appeals by the Supreme Court.
Author: James E McCarthy
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
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Book Description
The Clean Air Act and its 1990 amendments appear to have contributed to a marked improvement in air quality nationwide. Of nearly 100 metropolitan areas not meeting air quality standards for ozone in 1990, more than two-thirds now do so. Even greater progress has been achieved with carbon monoxide: 36 of 42 areas not in attainment in 1990 now meet the standard. Nevertheless, EPA remains concerned about air pollution. In 1997, the Agency promulgated major revisions to its air quality standards for ozone and particulates, an action that would require most states and urban areas to establish additional controls on a wide range of pollution sources. The revised standards were challenged by numerous parties and the courts have remanded the standards to EPA. Implementation is currently in limbo, pending resolution of appeals by the Supreme Court.
Author: James E McCarthy
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Languages : en
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This Issue Brief discusses clean air issues that arose in the 105th Congress. CRS Issue Brief IB10004 addresses the 106th Congress.
Author: United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Environment and Public Works
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Languages : en
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Author: United States. Congress. Senate
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Languages : en
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Author:
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Languages : en
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Author: United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Environmentand Public Works
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Category : Air
Languages : en
Pages : 680
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Author: Congressional Research Service
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ISBN: 9781793893895
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 24
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Author: Congressional Research Service
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781503005662
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 26
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As the 113th Congress has considered air quality issues, oversight of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory actions has been the main focus. Of particular interest has been EPA's Clean Air Act regulations on emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Reducing GHG emissions to address climate change is a major goal of President Obama, but Congress has been less enthusiastic about it. In the absence of congressional action, the President has directed EPA to promulgate GHG standards using existing authority under the Clean Air Act. This authority has been upheld on at least three occasions by the Supreme Court, but it remains controversial in Congress. EPA's most recent GHG actions have involved power plants. On June 2, 2014, the agency proposed GHG emission standards for existing fossil-fueled (coal, oil, and natural gas) power plants. These plants are the source of one-third of the nation's GHG emissions, so it is difficult to envision a regulatory scheme that reduces the nation's GHG emissions without addressing their contribution. At the same time, affordable and reliable electric power is central to the nation's economy and to the health and well-being of the population. Thus, the effects of the proposed rule on the electric power system are of considerable interest. Even before proposal of the existing power plant standards, the House had passed legislation (H.R. 3826) that would effectively prohibit EPA from promulgating or implementing power plant GHG emission standards. On September 18, 2014, the House passed the same language a second time, in H.R. 2. The Senate has not considered either bill, but it could still be asked to consider similar measures as amendments or riders on other legislation considered likely to pass in the lame duck session. Although it has not finalized the power plant GHG regulations, EPA has implemented permit and Best Available Control Technology requirements for new stationary sources of GHGs under a separate Clean Air Act provision, the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program. Minimum thresholds have exempted smaller pollution sources from this program, and few facilities have needed to obtain permits. Nevertheless, EPA's authority to implement these requirements was challenged in court. In a June 23, 2014, decision, the Supreme Court largely upheld EPA's authority. Besides addressing climate change, EPA has taken action on a number of other air pollution regulations, often in response to court actions remanding previous rules. Remanded rules included the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) and Clean Air Mercury Rule—rules designed to control the long-range transport of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury from power plants through cap-and-trade programs. Other remanded rules included hazardous air pollutant standards for boilers and cement kilns. The agency has also developed revisions of several existing air standards—in general, the Clean Air Act mandates that existing standards be reviewed periodically and revised if appropriate. On March 3, 2014, EPA revised regulations that limit the sulfur content of gasoline, in conjunction with tighter (“Tier3”) standards for motor vehicle emissions. The agency has also proposed revised standards for wood and pellet stoves and proposed standards for other types of wood heaters for the first time. EPA is also reviewing ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone. The agency is under court order to complete a proposed revision of the ozone NAAQS by December 1, 2014. NAAQS serve as EPA's definition of clean air for six widespread pollutants, and drive a range of regulatory controls.
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The courts and the executive branch have faced major decisions on clean air issues in 2006, with Congress playing a limited role. One focus has been the EPA Administrator's September 21, 2006 decision regarding air quality standards for fine particles. According to EPA and the consensus of the scientific community, current concentrations of fine particles cause tens of thousands of premature deaths annually. The Administrator's September 21 decision will strengthen the standards; according to the agency, it will reduce premature mortality by 1,200 - 13,000 persons annually. However, many are unhappy that the new standard will not be more stringent -- for the first time ever, it falls outside of a range recommended by the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), an independent body established by the Clean Air Act to provide expert scientific advice. On September 29, the seven members of CASAC stated that the Administrator's decision does not provide an adequate margin of safety requisite to protect the public health. In 2005, Congress acted on several Clean Air Act (CAA) issues in legislation that it passed and sent to the President. The most significant of these issues, dealing with ethanol and reformulated gasoline (RFG), were addressed in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, H.R. 6 (P.L. 109-58). Congress also amended the Clean Air Act in H.R. 3 (P.L. 109-59), the transportation bill that the President signed August 10, 2005. H.R. 3 modified the requirement that state and local transportation planners demonstrate conformity between their transportation plans and the timely achievement of air quality standards. Other Clean Air Act amendments have stalled. A bill that would have established a cap-and-trade program for emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and mercury from coal-fired electric power plants (S. 131) was among the first items on the agenda of the 109th Congress: entitled the Clear Skies Act, the bill was scheduled for markup by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee March 9, 2005. But the committee failed to approve it on a 9-9 tie vote, in large part because of complaints that the bill would weaken existing Clean Air Act requirements. Another issue in the debate was whether to cap emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) in addition to the other three pollutants. With Clear Skies stalled, EPA finalized the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR), which will cap emissions of SO2 and NOx from power plants in 28 eastern states and the District of Columbia and establish a cap-and-trade system through regulation. A deadline for mercury regulations helped drive the Clear Skies debate: EPA faced a judicial deadline of March 15, 2005, to promulgate standards for power plant mercury emissions. The agency met this deadline, but the specific regulations have been widely criticized. A resolution to "disapprove" (overturn) the regulations under the Congressional Review Act (S.J.Res. 20) was defeated on a vote of 51-47, September 13, 2005, but the courts have yet to rule on challenges filed by 15 states and other groups. Whether to modify other requirements of the Clean Air Act (New Source Review, deadlines for nonattainment areas, and provisions dealing with interstate air pollution) have also been contentious issues. This report replaces CRS Issue Brief IB10137, Clean Air Act Issue in the 109th Congress.
