The_Clean_Air_Act

Environmental Protection Air pollution affects the health, environment as well as the economy of a country. To facilitate the reduction of air pollution the Clean Air Act law was passed. The Clean Air Act is a federal law that has been passed to ensure that the air that Americans breathe is clean. The Clean Air Act was passed by congress in 1970, was amended in 1977 and again in 1990. The law was amended so that rigorous deadlines could be extended and new provisions could be added to the Act to support cleaning the air. The ultimate goal of the act is the health of the general public along with the protection of the environment. “The Clean Air Act requires that the U.S. Environment Protection Agency set national health-based air quality standards to protect against common pollutants including ozone (smog), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and particulate soot” (Cleanairtrust.org). States are individually made responsible for the implementation of plans focused on controlling the amount of pollution emitted into the air from power plants and automobiles. When states do not meet the clean air standards they are penalized. These penalties come with grave consequences to the economy of that state. The Clean Air Act has been effective in reaching its purpose as the air we breathe is much cleaner and the health of the general public has improved. Emissions of toxic lead, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide have significantly decreased, but much more still needs to be done to meet future air pollution challenges. References Cleanairtrust.org, (n.d). The Clean Air Act. Retrieved March, 13, 2010 from: http://www.cleanairtrust.org/cleanairact.html Nei.org. (2007). Nuclear Energy’s Importance in Reaching Clean Air Act Goals. Retrieved March 13, 2010 from: http://www.nei.org/keyissues/protectingtheenvironment/policybriefs/cleanairactgoalspage2