The Clean Air Act is a United States federal law that was first enacted in 1963 and has since been amended several times. Its primary purpose is to regulate and control air pollution and promote clean air in the United States. The law is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and sets national air quality standards for a variety of pollutants.
The Clean Air Act establishes two types of air quality standards: primary and secondary. Primary standards are designed to protect public health, while secondary standards are intended to protect public welfare, such as crops, forests, and visibility. The EPA sets standards for six criteria pollutants: particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, ozone, and lead.
The Clean Air Act also regulates emissions from stationary sources, such as factories and power plants, and mobile sources, such as cars and trucks. The EPA sets emission standards for different industries, and companies must meet these standards to operate legally. The law also requires states to develop State Implementation Plans (SIPs) to ensure that they are meeting the air quality standards established by the EPA.
The Clean Air Act has been amended several times, with the most recent significant amendments occurring in 1990. The amendments introduced a cap-and-trade program for sulfur dioxide emissions, a program to reduce acid rain, and stricter regulations on emissions from mobile sources, among other provisions.
Overall, the Clean Air Act has been successful in reducing air pollution and improving air quality in the United States. It has been credited with reducing emissions of many pollutants by more than 70% since its enactment, and has contributed to significant improvements in public health and environmental quality.
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