Evolution of the Clean Air Act | US EPA

This Act provided funds for federal research in air pollution. The Clean Air Act of 1963 was the first federal legislation regarding air pollution control. It ... Skiptomaincontent Officialwebsitesuse.gov A.govwebsitebelongstoanofficialgovernmentorganizationintheUnitedStates. Secure.govwebsitesuseHTTPS Alock(LockAlockedpadlock)orhttps://meansyou’vesafelyconnectedtothe.govwebsite.Sharesensitiveinformationonlyonofficial,securewebsites. CleanAirActOverview ContactUs EvolutionoftheCleanAirAct ReadtheCleanAirAct ReadtheCleanAirActAmendmentsof1990 Onthispage: Introduction CleanAirActof1970 CleanAirActAmendmentsof1977 CleanAirActAmendmentsof1990 Milestones IntroductionThelegalauthorityforfederalprogramsregardingairpollutioncontrolisbasedonthe1990CleanAirActAmendments(1990CAAA).ThesearethelatestinaseriesofamendmentsmadetotheCleanAirAct(CAA).ThislegislationmodifiedandextendedfederallegalauthorityprovidedbytheearlierCleanAirActsof1963and1970.TheAirPollutionControlActof1955wasthefirstfederallegislationinvolvingairpollution.ThisActprovidedfundsforfederalresearchinairpollution.TheCleanAirActof1963wasthefirstfederallegislationregardingairpollutioncontrol.ItestablishedafederalprogramwithintheU.S.PublicHealthServiceandauthorizedresearchintotechniquesformonitoringandcontrollingairpollution.In1967,theAirQualityActwasenactedinordertoexpandfederalgovernmentactivities.Inaccordancewiththislaw,enforcementproceedingswereinitiatedinareassubjecttointerstateairpollutiontransport.Aspartoftheseproceedings,thefederalgovernmentforthefirsttimeconductedextensiveambientmonitoringstudiesandstationarysourceinspections.TheAirQualityActof1967alsoauthorizedexpandedstudiesofairpollutantemissioninventories,ambientmonitoringtechniques,andcontroltechniques.CleanAirActof1970TheenactmentoftheCleanAirActof1970(1970CAA)resultedinamajorshiftinthefederalgovernment'sroleinairpollutioncontrol.Thislegislationauthorizedthedevelopmentofcomprehensivefederalandstateregulationstolimitemissionsfrombothstationary(industrial)sourcesandmobilesources.Fourmajorregulatoryprogramsaffectingstationarysourceswereinitiated:theNationalAmbientAirQualityStandards(NAAQS,pronounced"knacks"),StateImplementationPlans(SIPs),NewSourcePerformanceStandards(NSPS),andNationalEmissionStandardsforHazardousAirPollutants(NESHAPs).Furthermore,theenforcementauthoritywassubstantiallyexpanded.TheadoptionofthisveryimportantlegislationoccurredatapproximatelythesametimeastheNationalEnvironmentalPolicyActthatestablishedtheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA).TheEPAwascreatedonDecember2,1970inordertoimplementthevariousrequirementsincludedintheseActs.Forarticlesandpressreleasessee: EPAHistory:CleanAirActof1970/1977 CleanAirActAmendmentsof1977MajoramendmentswereaddedtotheCleanAirActin1977(1977CAAA).The1977AmendmentsprimarilyconcernedprovisionsforthePreventionofSignificantDeterioration(PSD)ofairqualityinareasattainingtheNAAQS.The1977CAAAalsocontainedrequirementspertainingtosourcesinnon-attainmentareasforNAAQS.Anon-attainmentareaisageographicareathatdoesnotmeetoneormoreofthefederalairqualitystandards.Bothofthese1977CAAAestablishedmajorpermitreviewrequirementstoensureattainmentandmaintenanceoftheNAAQS.Forarticlesandpressreleasessee: EPAHistory:CleanAirActof1970/1977 CleanAirActAmendmentsof1990AnothersetofmajoramendmentstotheCleanAirActoccurredin1990(1990CAAA).The1990CAAAsubstantiallyincreasedtheauthorityandresponsibilityofthefederalgovernment.Newregulatoryprogramswereauthorizedforcontrolofaciddeposition(acidrain)andfortheissuanceofstationarysourceoperatingpermits.TheNESHAPswereincorporatedintoagreatlyexpandedprogramforcontrollingtoxicairpollutants.TheprovisionsforattainmentandmaintenanceofNAAQSweresubstantiallymodifiedandexpanded.Otherrevisionsincludedprovisionsregardingstratosphericozoneprotection,increasedenforcementauthority,andexpandedresearchprograms.Forarticlesandpressreleasessee:EPAHistory:CleanAirActAmendmentsof1990MilestonesSomeprincipalmilestonesintheevolutionoftheCleanAirActare:TheAirPollutionControlActof1955 Firstfederalairpollutionlegislation Fundedresearchforscopeandsourcesofairpollution CleanAirActof1963 Authorizedthedevelopmentofanationalprogramtoaddressairpollutionrelatedenvironmentalproblems Authorizedresearchintotechniquestominimizeairpollution AirQualityActof1967 Authorizedenforcementproceduresforairpollutionproblemsinvolvinginterstatetransportofpollutants Authorizedexpandedresearchactivities CleanAirAct1970 AuthorizedtheestablishmentofNationalAmbientAirQualityStandards EstablishedrequirementsforStateImplementationPlanstoachievetheNationalAmbientAirQualityStandards AuthorizedtheestablishmentofNewSourcePerformanceStandardsfornewandmodifiedstationarysources AuthorizedtheestablishmentofNationalEmissionStandardsforHazardousAirPollutants Increasedenforcementauthority Authorizedrequirementsforcontrolofmotorvehicleemissions 1977AmendmentstotheCleanAirActof1970 AuthorizedprovisionsrelatedtothePreventionofSignificantDeterioration Authorizedprovisionsrelatingtoareaswhicharenon-attainmentwithrespecttotheNationalAmbientAirQualityStandards 1990AmendmentstotheCleanAirActof1970 AuthorizedprogramsforAcidDepositionControl Authorizedaprogramtocontrol189toxicpollutants,includingthosepreviouslyregulatedbytheNationalEmissionStandardsforHazardousAirPollutants Establishedpermitprogramrequirements ExpandedandmodifiedprovisionsconcerningtheattainmentofNationalAmbientAirQualityStandards Expandedandmodifiedenforcementauthority Establishedaprogramtophaseouttheuseofchemicalsthatdepletetheozonelayer. 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