Us Air Pollution: Stricter Regulation Needed Now

Despite the United States making significant progress in reducing air pollution since the 1970s, when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began regulating air quality, air pollution continues to pose risks to public health across the country. About 40% of the US population lives in areas where air pollution levels exceed the limits set to protect public health. The Clean Air Act, which establishes the legal framework for air quality management in the US, has been instrumental in reducing the country's air pollution over the past few decades. However, there is still much work to be done to ensure clean air and better health for all. This paragraph will discuss the topic of how the US can do more to regulate air pollution and protect its citizens' health and environment.

Modernizing air quality monitoring systems

The United States has made significant progress in reducing air pollution levels since the 1970s, when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began regulating air quality. However, air pollution continues to pose risks to public health, with about 40% of the U.S. population living in areas where air pollution levels exceed the limits set to protect health.

The national ambient air quality monitoring system, which measures air pollution levels at fixed locations across the country, is jointly managed by the EPA, state, and local agencies. This system is crucial for implementing the Clean Air Act and safeguarding public health. However, it has been unable to meet the evolving needs of users, including air quality managers, researchers, and the public, who require more information to understand the health risks associated with air pollution.

To address these challenges, the EPA should prioritize modernizing the air quality monitoring system. Here are some key aspects to consider:

• Addressing Infrastructure Aging: The infrastructure of the national ambient air quality monitoring system is aging. EPA funding for state and local air quality management grants, which cover monitoring, has decreased by about 20% since 2004 after adjusting for inflation. This decline in funding has impacted the sustainability of the monitoring system. By developing an asset management framework, the EPA can better target limited resources towards the highest priorities for consistently sustaining the system.
• Improving Data Quality and Accessibility: Air quality managers, researchers, and the public need more comprehensive and accessible data to understand the health risks associated with air pollution. This includes information on pollutants near industrial facilities and the performance of low-cost sensors. The EPA should work towards enhancing data collection and making it readily available to relevant stakeholders.
• Integrating Emerging Technologies: Emerging technologies, such as low-cost sensors, can play a significant role in improving air quality monitoring. However, there are challenges in understanding the performance and variability of these sensors. The EPA should focus on integrating these technologies effectively and ensuring the quality and appropriate interpretation of sensor data.
• Establishing Clear Goals and Roles: Developing a comprehensive modernization plan that aligns with leading practices for strategic planning and risk management is essential. This plan should include well-defined goals, clear roles and responsibilities, and a strategy for measuring and evaluating progress. By establishing these key elements, the EPA can effectively address the additional information needs of air quality managers, researchers, and the public.
• Collaborating with State, Local, and Tribal Agencies: The EPA should actively engage and collaborate with state, local, and tribal agencies in developing and implementing the modernization plan. This collaborative approach will ensure that the plan is tailored to the specific needs and challenges of each region and community.
• Securing Appropriate Funding: Adequate funding is crucial for the successful modernization of the air quality monitoring system. The EPA has received appropriations through the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, which can be utilized to enhance monitoring of certain air pollutants and fund air monitoring projects across the United States.

By prioritizing these aspects, the EPA can effectively modernize the air quality monitoring system, better address the evolving needs of stakeholders, and ultimately improve the nation's ability to protect public health and the environment from the harmful effects of air pollution.

Reducing emissions from stationary sources

The United States has made significant progress in reducing air pollution since the 1970s, when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began regulating air quality. However, air pollution continues to pose risks to public health, with about 40% of the population living in areas where air pollution exceeds safe limits.

To reduce emissions from stationary sources, the Clean Air Act (CAA) plays a crucial role. The CAA is a comprehensive federal law that regulates air emissions from both stationary and mobile sources. It authorises the EPA to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and welfare and to regulate emissions of hazardous air pollutants.

One of the goals of the CAA is to achieve NAAQS in every state, addressing the risks posed by widespread air pollutants. To achieve this, the Act directs states to develop State Implementation Plans (SIPs) applicable to appropriate industrial sources. "Major sources" are defined as stationary sources emitting at least 10 tons per year of a hazardous air pollutant or 25 tons per year of a combination of such pollutants. For these major sources, the EPA establishes emission standards requiring the maximum degree of reduction in emissions, known as "maximum achievable control technology" or "MACT" standards.

The EPA also provides guidelines and assistance for controlling emissions, such as the New Source Performance Standards and the Good Neighbor Plan for the 2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

In addition to regulatory measures, available and emerging technologies can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from stationary sources in certain industries. For example, the EPA has published a document outlining methods for reducing emissions from the iron and steel industry.

By implementing these strategies and utilising new technologies, the US can make significant strides in reducing emissions from stationary sources and improving air quality for its citizens.

Regulating mobile sources of air pollution

The Clean Air Act (CAA) is the federal law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources in the United States. The law was first passed in 1963 and has since been amended in 1970, 1977, and 1990. The Clean Air Act establishes the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and welfare, and it authorises the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate air pollutants and polluting industries.

Regulating Mobile Sources

The CAA defines mobile sources as on-road and non-road sources. On-road sources include light-duty vehicles (LDVs), light-duty trucks (LDTs), heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs), and motorcycles. Non-road sources refer to gasoline- and diesel-powered equipment and vehicles operated off-road, ranging from small engines used in lawn and garden equipment to locomotive engines and aircraft.

The CAA has been instrumental in reducing emissions from mobile sources, with emission rates from individual vehicles decreasing substantially since its enactment. However, human behaviour and other social factors, such as increases in vehicle miles travelled and the growing popularity of sport utility vehicles (SUVs), have offset some of the gains made.

Strategies for Controlling Mobile Source Emissions

The CAA outlines three types of strategies for controlling mobile source emissions:

• New-source certification programs that specify emission standards applicable to new vehicles and motors.
• In-use technological measures and controls, including specifications on fuel properties, vehicle inspection and maintenance programs, and retrofits to existing vehicles.
• Non-technological measures to control usage or activity, such as management of transportation.

Implementing Emission Controls on Mobile Sources

New-Source Certification Programs

The CAA first targeted passenger cars, and then applied regulations to other on-road vehicles, such as trucks and buses, and more recently, to non-road sources, such as tractors and construction equipment.

In-Use Technological Measures and Controls

The CAA has also implemented measures to control in-use technological measures and controls. These include:

• Vehicle inspection and maintenance programs, such as the inspection and maintenance (I/M) programs.
• Remote sensing of in-use vehicle emissions, which has been adopted by some states as a supplementary method to identify high-emitting vehicles.
• Regulations on the content of gasoline and diesel fuels, such as the phase-out of lead in gasoline, and the reduction of sulfur in gasoline and diesel fuels to prevent catalyst damage.

Non-Technological Measures

The CAA has also implemented measures to control usage or activity, such as:

• Regulation of motorist's vehicle use, such as transportation control plans (TCPs) and employer trip reduction programs.
• Controls on transportation infrastructure planning and investment, such as the conformity regulations, which require metropolitan planning organisations to ensure that transportation-related emissions stay within the limits used in the area's State Implementation Plan (SIP).

Enforcing standards for toxic air pollutants

The Clean Air Act (CAA) is a comprehensive federal law that gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the authority to regulate air pollutants and polluting industries. The EPA is required to set emissions standards based on technology performance for major sources of "hazardous air pollutants", also known as "air toxics". These hazardous air pollutants include mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), benzene, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The CAA sets out a phased regulatory approach to control air toxics emissions and reduce risks from major stationary sources. In the first phase, standard-setting focuses on the practices of the best performers in a particular industry. The EPA sets national emissions standards with numerical limits reflecting the available control technologies or work practice requirements for major stationary sources of air toxics. This phase is commonly referred to as the maximum achievable control technology (MACT) program, which aims to achieve timely emission reductions.

In the second phase, known as the residual risk program, the EPA evaluates the health and environmental risks from sources within eight years after MACT standards are established. The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to set additional, risk-based standards if more emission reductions are deemed necessary to protect public health or to prevent adverse environmental effects. The EPA develops a risk assessment for each source category, relying on peer-reviewed tools to determine the magnitude of potential impacts from air toxics exposures.

The EPA also conducts demographic analyses to understand the potential impacts of the rule on low-income, minority, or indigenous communities. The CAA requires major stationary sources to install pollution control equipment and meet specific emissions limitations. Furthermore, under the 1990 CAA amendments, major stationary sources must obtain operating permits.

Mitigating the effects of climate change

Government Actions:

• Cooperation between different levels of government: Air pollution and climate change transcend state and national boundaries. Hence, effective mitigation requires cooperation between national, state, and local governments. This collaboration can lead to innovative initiatives and help connect environmental actions across different spheres.
• Protect and restore key ecosystems: Governments should focus on protecting and restoring ecosystems such as rivers, wetlands, oceans, forests, and mangroves, which play a crucial role in absorbing carbon and slowing down global warming. These ecosystems also act as natural barriers against extreme weather events like tropical storms and floods, which are intensified by climate change.
• Support small agricultural producers: The meat industry is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and water contamination. Governments can promote sustainable practices and support small local agricultural producers who prioritize land restoration, benefit nearby communities, and make their operations resilient to climate change.
• Promote green energy: The US government should encourage a shift towards renewable and cleaner energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, and oceanic power. By investing in and prioritizing these energy sources, the country can reduce its dependence on climate-aggravating energy sources like hydropower.
• Combat short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs): SLCPs, including black carbon, methane, ozone, and hydrofluorocarbons, have relatively short lifespans in the atmosphere but are far more potent climate warmers than carbon dioxide. By implementing policies and regulations to reduce SLCP emissions, the US can accelerate its fight against climate change and improve air quality in the short term.
• Focus on adaptation, not just mitigation: While reducing emissions is crucial, it is equally important to adapt to the changing climate and build resilience. This involves investing in projects that increase communities' resilience and reduce their vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, especially for the most vulnerable communities.

Industrial and Individual Actions:

• Reduce air pollution from vehicles: Transportation is a significant contributor to air pollution. Individuals can opt for walking, biking, or using public transportation to reduce vehicle emissions. Additionally, transitioning to electric vehicles and improving fuel efficiency can significantly decrease transportation-related emissions.
• Improve air quality at ports: Communities near ports often experience high levels of air pollution. Collaboration between communities, stakeholders, and the EPA's Ports Initiative can help advance clean technologies and improve environmental performance at ports, benefiting the health of nearby residents.
• Develop urban forests: Planting trees, especially in urban areas, can help absorb carbon dioxide and improve air quality. Urban forests also provide additional benefits, such as mitigating the urban heat island effect.
• Prevent wildfires: Wildfires are a significant source of air pollution, releasing large amounts of smoke and particulate matter into the atmosphere. By paying attention to weather and drought conditions and avoiding activities that can spark fires, individuals and land management agencies can help reduce the frequency and severity of wildfires.
• Improve indoor air quality: Indoor air pollution can be reduced by limiting the use of fossil fuels for cooking and heating and promoting the use of clean stoves and boilers. Additionally, improving ventilation and using air purifiers can help reduce exposure to indoor air pollutants.

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