EPA delivers 15 years of acid rain reductions.
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Press Release Summary:
U.S. EPA released report that shows 15 years of successful results from its nationwide effort to address acid rain. Since its inception in 1995 as part of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, EPA's Acid Rain Program has earned widespread acclaim due to dramatic sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emission reductions that are saving American lives and ecosystems. An analysis estimates annual public health benefits of the program in 2010 alone at more than $120 billion.
Original Press Release:
EPA Delivers 15 Years of Acid Rain Reductions
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a report that shows 15 years of successful results from its nationwide effort to address acid rain. Since its inception in 1995 as part of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, EPA's Acid Rain Program has earned widespread acclaim due to dramatic sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) emission reductions that are saving American lives and ecosystems. An analysis estimates annual public health benefits of the program in 2010 alone at more than $120 billion, about 40 times the estimated cost.
Some of the major accomplishments of the program through 2009 include:
The Acid Rain Program was established under the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments and requires significant emission reductions of SO2 and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from the electric power industry. The program sets a permanent cap on the total amount of SO2 that may be emitted by electric generating units in the United States, and includes provisions for trading and banking emission allowances. The program is phased in, with this year phasing in the final 2010 SO2 cap set at 8.95 million tons, a level of about one-half of the emissions from the power sector in 1980.
More information on the Acid Rain Program report:
http://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/progress/ARP09.html