The Air Pollution Control Act of 1955 (Pub.L. 84-159, ch. 360, 69 Stat.

322) was the first United States Clean Air Act enacted by Congress to address the national environmental problem of air pollution on July 14, 1955. This was "an act to provide research and technical assistance [1] [2] relating to air pollution control." The act "left states principally in charge of prevention and control of air pollution at the source." The act declared that air pollution was a danger to public health and welfare, but preserved the "primary responsibilities and rights of the states and [3] local government in controlling air pollution." The act put the federal government in a purely informational role, authorizing the United States Surgeon General to conduct research, investigate, and pass out information "relating to air pollution and the prevention and abatement [4] thereof." Therefore, The Air Pollution Control Act contained no provisions for the federal government to actively combat air pollution by punishing polluters. The next Congressional statement on air pollution would come with the Clean Air Act of 1963. Prior to 1955 Prior to the Air Pollution Control Act of 1955, little headway was made to initiate this air pollution reform. U.S. cities Chicago and Cincinnati first established smoke ordinances in 1881. In 1904, Philadelphia passed an ordinance limiting the amount of smoke in flues, chimneys, and open spaces. The ordinance imposed a penalty if not all smoke inspections were passed. It wasn't until 1947 that California authorized the creation of [6] Air Pollution Control Districts in every county of the state. Amendments to the Air Pollution Control Act of 1955 There have been several amendments made to The Air Pollution Act of 1955. The first amendment came in 1960, which extended research funding for four years. The next amendment came in 1962 and basically enforced the principle provisions of the original act. In addition, this amendment also called for research to be done by the U.S. surgeon general to determine health effects of various motor vehicle exhaust substances.[7] In 1963, the Senate Subcommittee on Air and Water Pollution was created and was soon overwhelmed with public concern over air and water pollution. It was then that the Clean Air Act of 1963 was passed. This act directed $95 million over the next three years to state and local governments to better develop "air pollution criteria." National Air Pollution Symposium The first National Air Pollution Symposium in the United States was held in 1949. At first, smaller governments were responsible for the passage [14] and enforcement of such legislation. The main purpose of the Air Pollution Control Act of 1955 was to provide research assistance to find a way to control air pollution from its source. A total of $5 million was granted to the public health service for a five-year period to conduct this [15][16] [17] According to a private website, the amount was $3 million allotted per year for the five-year period of research. research. Effects of the Act This was the first act from the government that made U.S. citizens and policy makers aware of this global problem. Unfortunately, this act did little to prevent air pollution, but it at least made government aware that this was a national problem. The act allowed [18] Congress to reserve the right to control this growing problem. The Air Pollution Control Act of 1955 was the first federal law regarding air pollution. This act began to inform the public about the hazards of air pollution and detailed new emissions standards. Public opinion polls showed that the percentage of Americans who regarded air pollution as a serious problem almost doubled from [1 28% in 1965 to 55% in 1968 with the addition of all the amendments made to the original Air Pollution Control Act of 1955.