Clear Air Act

Clean Air Act (CAA) it was passed in 1963. The amendments were added in 1970 and 1990. The reason changes were done is because many states fail to meet directed objectives, the New Source Review (NSR), addresses the older power plants and refineries that had been "grandfathered" in by the original law. Legislature had anticipated that older power plants and refineries would be shut down, so they were exempted. But when they continued to run and their factories put out much higher levels of pollution compared to the new factories that had the newer equipment, legislators had to do something. So the NSR told the older facilities that want to grow that they had to do an EPA change and install pollution control equipment. (1)

The last amended of the Clean Air Act was in 1990.  This amendment talked about problems like acid rain, toxic pollutants and ozone layer depletion.  It also requires “conformity” to the provisions of the Act. Developments like building of highways and rail lines will not be federally backed or permitted without the state air quality goals. It also says that these plans cannot cause or add any new problems to the air quality standards. (1)

The Clean Air Act has been a good to the economic for the U.S. There have been studies that it has helped with public health. (2) The studies have found that the health and welfare of American people are better with the clean air than without it; this means less air pollution connected illnesses and less money will be used on medical appointment and less people missing work. (2)

For over forty years, the Clean Air Act has changed the pollution in the U.S. and the economy has grown. Clean Air Act programs have lowered levels of six common pollutants -- particles, ozone, lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide -- as well as numerous toxic pollutants. From 1970 to 2014, aggregate national emissions of the six common pollutants alone dropped an average of 69 percent while gross domestic...