One in three Americans breathe polluted air. According
to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, more than
100 million people in 1997 lived in areas where air quality
levels exceeded federal standards. In addition, scientists
and health officials are increasingly concerned about
the role air quality plays in childhood diseases. According
to the Natural Resources Defense Council, childhood asthma
has tripled since the 1980s.
The Clean Air Act was enacted in 1970 as a means of
protecting the public against harmful pollutants such
as ozone (smog), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen
dioxide, lead and particulate soot. The Act requires the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish
national health-based standards for these pollutants,
while requiring state governments to comply with these
standards by certain dates. It also gives the EPA authority
to set national standards for major new sources of pollution
such as automobiles, trucks and power plants, and charges
the agency with developing controls for major new sources
of toxic pollutants like benzene. The Clean Air Act has
been amended twice - in 1977 and 1990 - in order to extend
deadlines, authorize funding and to specify new clean
air strategies.
Nationally, air quality has improved under the Clean
Air Act. According to the Clean Air Trust, toxic lead
emissions have dropped 98 percent, sulfur dioxide emissions
have fallen 35 percent and carbon monoxide emissions have
dropped by 32 percent. Despite this progress, however,
many areas of the country still violate basic health standards
for clean air.
Ozone and Particulate Matter
Ozone is the main component of smog and the most widespread
air pollutant. It is formed by the reaction of volatile
organic compounds and nitrogen oxides, both of which are
emitted by a variety of sources including motor vehicles,
chemical plants and electric power plants. Exposure to
ozone has been linked to increased emergency room visits
for asthma and other respiratory problems. Children, the
elderly and people with lung and heart disease are the
most vulnerable.
Like ozone, particulate matter has been linked to increased
hospital visits, asthma attacks and other respiratory
ailments. Fine particulate matter results from motor vehicles,
coal-fired power plants and residential fireplaces or
wood stoves. Other larger particles are caused by windblown
dust, unpaved roads, or are emitted from smokestacks or
cars. Particulate matter is one of the major causes of
regional haze in many parts of the U.S.
Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA has established ambient
air quality standards designed to protect public health
and welfare from these two pollutants, as well as sulfur
dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and lead. All
new and existing sources of air pollution are prohibited
from emitting pollution that exceeds these standards.
In 1999, however, a federal court of appeals overturned
proposed stringent new air quality standards for ozone
and particulate matter. The Court ruled that the EPA had
unconstitutionally usurped powers reserved for Congress
in setting those standards. In January 2000, the American
Lung Association asked the Supreme Court to hear the case.
Electric utilities emit gases such as sulfur oxides,
nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, volatile organic
compounds, carbon monoxide and various heavy metals, which
directly pose risks to human health and the environment.
Some of these risks include, asthma and other respiratory
problems, global warming and air and water pollution.
Electric utilities also currently produce about 25 percent
of the world's carbon dioxide emissions and are responsible
for toxic mercury emissions. Older, coal-fired power plants
are the biggest sources of harmful emissions.
The Clean Air Act was designed to regulate these harmful
emissions. However, a major loophole in the Clean Air
Act Amendments of 1990 allows electric utilities to remain
largely unregulated. Power plants built before 1970 are
exempt from strict, new emission standards and thus emit
up to an average of 10 times more pollution than newer
plants.
Environmentalists are working to remove the loophole
and force grandfathered power plants to meet new emissions
standards. They are also working to encourage state and
federal legislators to include financial incentives for
energy efficiency and renewable energy development in
any electricity restructuring legislation. Bills to accomplish
these objectives have been introduced in both the House
and Senate.
Since 1970, the number of miles driven by Americans has
increased by 150 percent. In addition, people are driving
large sport utility vehicles, minivans and other light
trucks that have lower fuel efficiency standards and less
stringent emission standards. These lower standards were
first implemented at a time when light trucks were primarily
used as commercial and agricultural work vehicles and
represented a very small fraction of the market. In December
1999, the EPA proposed new regulations that will begin
to close the loophole in the Clean Air Act by holding
"light trucks" to the same tailpipe emissions standards
as passenger cars.
Since 1995, Congress has successfully prohibited the
Department of Transportation from raising this standard,
known as the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard.
Opponents of stricter fuel efficiency standards argue
that they will result in more expensive automobiles and
will encourage the construction of smaller and lighter
vehicles, which are less safe. However CAFE proponents
believe stricter standards would both improve air quality
and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
For more information on clean air issues and what you
can do to help, check out these Web sites:
