The 20-year history of the evolution of air pollution control legislation in the U.S.A.

Over the past 20 years, the U.S. Congress has passed four acts relating to clean air. The 1970 act set out a comprehensive plan for federal-state partnership to require all areas in the country to meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards. In 1977, the act was amended and expanded, both to address many of the problems encountered in the 1970 act and to reorient the law to limit significantly emissions of any sort, even if there were no currently identified health-related reasons. In 1986, the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-know Act was passed, as an amendment to a solid waste law, in response to the desire to prevent chemical release tragedies. After 10 years of effort, Congress finally passed the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments which require a number of new programs aimed at curbing urban ozone, rural acid rain, stratospheric ozone, toxic air pollutant emissions and vehicle emissions, and establishing a new, uniform national permit system.

This paper discusses some of the consequences of the various acts and suggests ways that others might learn from our 20 years of experience. Certain programs have worked quite well, while some alternatives could have improved other programs.