Discuss the major provisions of the Clean Air Act

Answer 1

The major provisions of the Clean Air Act are:

• Primary Standards: Congress directed the EPA to establish national ambient air quality standards (NAAQSs) for primary pollution, that is, pollution that harms the public health. These standards are to be set without regard to cost.
• Secondary Standards: Congress directed the EPA to establish NAAQSs for pollution that may not threaten health but has other unpleasant effects, such as obstructing visibility or harming plants.
• State Implementation Plans (SIPs): After the EPA sets primary and secondary standards, states produce SIPs to meet these standards. If a state fails to produce an acceptable SIP, the EPA develops its own plan for that state.
• Regulation of stationary sources: The EPA sets limits on the amount of pollution a stationary source produces and requires that they obtain permits for construction, operation, or renovation.
• Prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) Program: The EPA does not permit states to let air quality decline, even if the new higher levels of pollution would still meet the EPA's existing national standards.
• Motor vehicles: The EPA sets standards for the pollution control devices in motor vehicles and also the composition of fuel.
• Toxics: The EPA has safety standards for each of the 189 toxics plus any other toxics the EPA wanted to include under the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants.
• Citizen Suits. The Clean Air Act permits anyone who is or might be adversely affected by any violation to file suit against a polluter or against the EPA for failing to enforce the statute.