What is the EPA doing about acid rain?
The Clean Air Act (CAA) is passed. Congress strengthens the CAA and establishes the Acid Rain Program using a market-based approach to reduce SO2 from power plants by more than 50 percent. EPA publishes acid rain regulations, and the Chicago Board of Trade holds first auction of SO2 allowances.
What areas are most affected by acid rain?
Acid rain is responsible for severe environmental destruction across the world and occurs most commonly in the North Eastern United States, Eastern Europe and increasingly in parts of China and India.
Is the acid rain program working?
Under this system, EPA sets a cap on overall emissions. SO2 allowances are then allocated to affected units serving generators greater than 25 megawatts. All new units based on their historic fuel consumption and specific emission rates. Each allowance permits a unit to emit one ton of SO2.
Is there still acid rain in the US?
Acid rain still occurs, but its impact on Europe and North America is far less than it was in the 1970s and ’80s, because of strong air pollution regulations in those regions. The term acid rain is a popular expression for the more formal and scientific term acid deposition.
What is the EPA doing about ocean pollution?
The EPA protects and restores ocean and coastal ecosystems by promoting watershed-based management, preventing aquatic pollution, managing ocean dumping sites, assessing coastal conditions, establishing effective partnerships and facilitating community-led science-based efforts.
What two states are most affected by acid rain?
The states listed as extremely vulnerable to the effects of acid rain and the average pH of rainfall were Connecticut, 4.4; Kentucky, 4.4; Maine, 4.4; Massachusetts, 4.1; Michigan, 4.4; New Hampshire, 4.3; New Jersey, 4.3; New York, 4.2; North Carolina, 4.4; Pennsylvania, 4.2; Rhode Island, 4.4; South Carolina, 4.6; …
Is acid rain getting better or worse?
Researchers Christopher Lehmann, left, and David Gay completed a 25-year study of acidic pollutants in rainwater collected across the U.S. and found that both frequency and concentration of acid rainfall has decreased.
Is lemon juice more acidic than acid rain?
Each level of the pH scale represents the power of 10. Sulfuric acid measures 1 on the pH scale. It is 10 times more acidic than lemon juice and 100 times more acidic than orange juice (10 x 10). Normal rain is slightly acidic naturally with a pH of 5.6. This is because the rain combines with carbon dioxide in the air.
Does the EPA protect the ocean?
How is acid rain related to air pollution?
Air pollution causes acid rain. Air pollution creates conditions in the atmosphere that change the pH of rainwater (and snow and other precipitation), making it more acidic. This acid rain is an environmental hazard because acidic rainwater damages whatever it falls on. People first noticed the damage caused by acid rain more than 100 years ago.
What contributes to acid precipitation?
Acid precipitation is often caused by the release of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere where they combine with atmospheric gases and water to create more acidic compounds. These chemicals are released during the combustion of fossil fuels from places like power plants, factories, etc.
Is acid rain real acid?
Rain is naturally acidic, but acid gasses make it even more acidic. Acid gasses are mainly caused by humans burning fossil fuels like coal and oil; but nature also creates these gasses with volcanoes.
What is acid rain permit?
Acid Rain (Title IV) Air Permits. Electric Generating Units (EGUs) sell electricity to the grid and burn fossil fuel. They be required to obtain and operate in compliance with a Phase II acid rain permit, pursuant to Title IV of the federal Clean Air Act.