Would Clear Skies allow power plants to increase emissions beyond safe levels?
• Clear Skies would maintain the protections provided by the health-based national air quality standards, the major provision of the Clean Air Act to protect local air quality. • In fact, together with other Clean Air Act provisions, Clear Skies would bring most of the country into attainment so that they meet the clean air standards. • Clear Skies also requires tough, technology-based new source standards on all new power generation projects and maintains special protections for national parks and wilderness areas when sources locate within 50 km of “Class I” national parks and wilderness areas. • Clear Skies is designed to reduce emissions by significant amounts over large geographic areas, and would improve air quality in every part of the country where power plants contribute significantly to air pollution.
