How do the Clean Air Act Amendments reduce acid rain?
The Clean Air Act Amendments require electric utilities to substantially reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, the primary pollutants that contribute to acid rain. Coal-burning electric power plants are the main source of sulfur dioxide emissions and a major source of nitrogen oxides emissions in the United States. Over the next 15 years, utilities nationwide must cut their sulfur dioxide emissions in half from 1980 levels. The Clean Air Act Amendments also set a permanent ceiling on the total amount of sulfur dioxide that may be emitted nationwide. So even as our population grows and the demand for electric power increases, emissions will not increase. The law also requires that most coal-burning utilities install new burner technology to reduce nitrogen oxides by 30 to 50 percent. Does EPA mandate how sulfur dioxide reductions must be achieved? No. Utilities have considerable flexibility in deciding how to reduce these emission. To provide this flexibility, Congress
