New NAAQS demand reductions

On July 17, 1997, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated revised National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone and particulate matter. On July 31, 1997, EPA proposed a rule for the regulation of regional haze, in part because regional haze is caused primarily by ozone and fine particulate matter. According to the provisions of the Clean Air Act, the nature of the specific air pollutant emission controls required to meet these new standards must await the State Implementation Planning process. The basic EPA strategy is revealed, however, in the preambles and discussions published with the revised standards. Additionally, the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) that accompanied the new NAAQS provided, as required, an expected cost of controls to compare to the benefits. The controls that the RIA chose to analyze and cost provide some insight into EPA expectations and also provide the states with some readily adoptable ideas. This article will explore these control options, but first, will describe the nature of the air pollution problem.