Republic of the Philippines

SULTAN KUDARAT STATE UNIVERSITY

ACCESS, EJC Montilla, 9800 City of Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
2nd Semester A.Y. 2020-2021

Name: Arnolfo Jade Ryan N. Sison Date: May 10, 2021

Instructor: Carilyn D. Salanio-Martin Year & Course: 2 BSED-Science
Course Title: Environmental Science Course Code: SCI2

LESSON TITLE: Laws for Air Quality

Pre-Discussion:

Air pollution comes from many different sources: stationary sources such as
factories, power plants, and smelters and smaller sources such as dry cleaners and
degreasing operations; mobile sources such as cars, buses, planes, trucks, and trains;
and naturally occurring sources such as windblown dust, and volcanic eruptions, all
contribute to air pollution. Air Quality can be affected in many ways by the pollution
emitted from these sources. These pollution sources can also emit a wide variety of
pollutants. The EPA has these pollutants classified as the six principal pollutants (or
"criteria pollutants" - as they are also known). These pollutants are monitored by the
EPA, as well as national, state and local organizations.

The Clean Air Act is a 1963 act of Congress that became federal law when
signed by President Lyndon Johnson. At the time of its signing, the bill text was the
most substantive attempt by the U.S. federal government to establish air pollution limits
on U.S. industry, power plants, and transportation including motor vehicles. The Clean
Air Act set national standards designed to promote cleaner air and combat public health
threats. It identified pollutants and set primary standards for their use, with the
understanding that local governments would enforce emission standards set at the
national level. The act mandated that the best available control technology be deployed
to limit the emission of pollutants, toxic chemicals, and volatile organic compounds.

Objectives: At the end of this lesson students are expected to:

1. Develop knowledge in air quality laws and its amendments,

2. Analyze the effects of Clean Air Act; and
3. Formulate the importance of Air Quality Law.

A Brief History of the Clean Air Act (United States)

Over the years, legislators have made major revisions to the Clean Air Act,
applying the best practices of the eras in which they were passed.

1955: "An Act to provide research and technical assistance relating to air
pollution control"

 The 1963 Clean Air Act was preceded by the Air Pollution Control Act of 1955.
Yet this 1955 law did not include a role for the federal government in regulating
 Republic of the Philippines
SULTAN KUDARAT STATE UNIVERSITY
ACCESS, EJC Montilla, 9800 City of Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
2nd Semester A.Y. 2020-2021

pollution; it relied on state and local governments to set emissions standards and
improve air quality standards.
1963: "An Act to improve, strengthen, and accelerate programs for the prevention
and abatement of air pollution"

 Congress passed the Clean Air Act, which was then signed into law by President
Lyndon Johnson. The 1963 law was the first to introduce new regulations
specifically enforced by the federal government.
1967: Air Quality Act

 The Air Quality Act enhanced federal regulation of interstate polluters.

These revolutionary amendments divided parts of the nation into Air Quality
Control Regions (AQCRs) as a means of monitoring ambient air. The
government also established national emissions standards for stationary
sources, which brought about debate because many officials thought it should be
dealt with industry by industry, but one national standard was set. These
standards established a fixed timetable for State Implementation Plans (SIPs),
and recommended control technologies to achieve the ultimate goals of the SIPs.
Again, appropriations were granted to continue research in the area of air
pollution control.
1970: "An Act to amend the Clean Air Act to provide for a more effective program
to improve the quality of the Nation's air."

 An amendment to the Clean Air Act set new limits for motor vehicle emissions,
submitting mobile sources of air pollution to the same scrutiny applied to
stationary sources like power plants. The 1970 revision established State
Implementation Plans (SIPs) to enforce standard-setting. It set limits on
hydrocarbons (better known as fossil fuels), photochemical oxidants, carbon
monoxide, nitrogen oxides (particularly nitrogen dioxide), sulfur dioxide, and
particulate matter. It also established the National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS). Many of these regulations would be overseen by the newly created
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The first EPA administrator, William
Ruckelshaus, took office on December 4, 1970.
1977: “An amendment to the 1963 act added a focus on non-attainment areas—
regions that had not met government standards and still experienced unhealthy
levels of air pollution.”

 The major debate during the creation of these amendments was that of motor
vehicle emissions standards. Ultimately, the deadline to meet them, as well as
the deadline to meet the ambient air standards, were extended. Also at this time,
the government made its first attempt to prevent the destruction of stratospheric
ozone. This law also modified the Prevention of Significant Deterioration
(PSD) policy designating regions as one of three different classes. By this time
the government realized how ambitious the Clean Air Act of 1970 was; therefore,
they passed these amendments to set realistic goals.
 Republic of the Philippines
SULTAN KUDARAT STATE UNIVERSITY
ACCESS, EJC Montilla, 9800 City of Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
2nd Semester A.Y. 2020-2021

1990: "An Act to amend the Clean Air Act to provide for attainment and
maintenance of health protective national ambient air quality standards, and for
other purposes."

 The 1990 amendment identified coal plants as major sources of the nitrogen
oxides and sulfur dioxide that create acid rain. It also focused on depletion of the
stratospheric ozone layer and provided a major increase in enforcement powers
for governments. It established a cap-and-trade program that limited total
emissions but still allowed polluters to trade credits and purchase the right to
increase their own emissions.
 2011: Beginning in 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency under President
Barack Obama applied Clean Air Act standards to greenhouse gas pollution
linked to human-made climate change. Subsequently, the EPA of President
Donald Trump’s administration limited this focus on carbon pollution and
greenhouse gas emissions.

How Does the Clean Air Act Work?

The Clean Air Act’s rules are enforced by federal agencies, particularly the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is run by a politically appointed EPA
administrator. Under the federal system of government, the EPA also relies on State
Implementation Plans (SIPs) to enact its policies on a state-by-state basis.

In practice, many states set standards that exceed those laid out by federal
programs like the Clean Air Act. The state of California, for instance, has stricter rules
than the federal government regarding the adoption of alternative fuels for cars and light
trucks. Meanwhile, environmental groups have lobbied state and local governments for
environmental regulations that outpace federal law.

What Are the Effects of the Clean Air Act?

The Clean Air Act’s regulations mandate that newly built pollution emitters
adhere to new source performance standards (a type of pollution control standards) that
protect public welfare. The act also includes a list of hazardous air pollutants and
establishes air quality control regions called attainment areas. These areas are intended
to protect the public from dangerous particulate matter and volatile chemicals linked to
poor health and premature deaths.

The significant changes imposed by this comprehensive federal law, as well as

subsequent updates in later federal legislation, led to reductions in common pollutants,
toxic air pollution, ground-level ozone, and lead pollution. A 2018 study estimated that
the initial act, along with Clean Air Act amendments, could be linked to a 60 percent
reduction in manufacturing industry pollution between 1990 and 2008.
 Republic of the Philippines
SULTAN KUDARAT STATE UNIVERSITY
ACCESS, EJC Montilla, 9800 City of Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
2nd Semester A.Y. 2020-2021

Summary

Air Quality can be affected in many ways by the pollution emitted from the 2
major types of sources-which are stationary sources and naturally occurring sources.
This problem became a global environmental issue in which the Clean Air Act was born.
The Clean Air Act provides the principal framework for national, state, and local efforts
to protect air quality. Under the Clean Air Act, EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and
Standards (OAQPS) is responsible for setting standards, also known as national
ambient air quality standards (NAAQS), for pollutants which are considered harmful to
people and the environment. OAQPS is also responsible for ensuring that these air
quality standards are met, or attained (in cooperation with state, Tribal, and local
governments) through national standards and strategies to control pollutant emissions
from automobiles, factories, and other sources. EPA is dedicated to monitoring the
quality of the air we breathe.

Assessment. Make an essay on what actions can you take to improve air quality? (2
paragraphs, 300 words)

Sources:

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/clean-air-act-explained#what-is-the-clean-air-act

https://www.ametsoc.org/sloan/cleanair/cleanairlegisl.html