Clean Air Clips

              US EPA Updates
July 29, 2002 - The Bush Administration announced that it has
sent legislation to Congress to implement the President's Clear
Skies initiative. On Feb. 14 of this year President Bush
announced the Clear Skies initiative, which sets strict,
mandatory emissions caps for three of the most harmful air
pollutants -- sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and
mercury. Clear Skies will be the most significant improvement to
the Clean Air Act since 1990, and the most comprehensive and
ambitious effort ever to clean up air pollution from power plants.
Clear Skies will also make great strides toward solving the
persistent environmental problems of visibility impairment and
ozone in national parks and cities around the country.
Clear Skies is modeled on America's most effective clean air
program, the 1990 Clean Air Act's acid rain program. By using this
proven, market-based approach, Clear Skies will dramatically
reduce air pollution from power plants quickly and
cost-effectively, keeping electricity prices affordable. Because
of the nature of "cap-and-trade" programs, establishing a cap in
2010 will cause emissions reductions immediately, as
companies act quickly to generate credits needed to meet the
2010 cap. Under the Acid Rain Program, emissions reductions
began immediately, and exceeded the required level of
reductions by approximately 25 percent.
Clear Skies would:
• Cut sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from power plants by 73
percent, from current emissions of 11 million tons to a cap of 4.5
million tons in 2010, and 3 million tons in 2018.
• Cut emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from power plants by
67 percent, from current emissions of 5 million tons to a cap of
2.1 million tons in 2008, and to 1.7 million tons in 2018.
• Cut mercury emissions from power plants by 69 percent,
establishing the first-ever national cap on mercury emissions.
Emissions will be cut from current emissions of 48 tons to a cap
of 26 tons in 2010, and 15 tons in 2018.
• Emission caps will be set to account for different air quality
needs in the East and the West.
Additional information about Clear Skies, including
legislative language and region-specific information
about air quality and health benefits, can be found on
EPA's Web site at: <www.epa.gov/clearskies>.
Illinois Updates
Ozone air quality has improved in the St. Louis area as a result of
implementation of State and Federal control measures since the
Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. Ambient air quality
monitoring data for the most recent three year period, 2000 -
2002, demonstrates attainment with the one-hour ozone
NAAQS. The IL Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is
preparing a request to U. S. EPA to redesignate the Illinois
portion of the St. Louis nonattainment area to attainment for
the one-hour ozone standard. The Illinois portion of the St.
Louis nonattainment area, which is commonly referred to as the
Metro-East area, includes Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair
Counties. The State of Missouri is preparing a similar request for
the Missouri portion of the St. Louis ozone nonattainment area.
A maintenance plan is required before the area can be
redesignated from nonattainment to attainment of the
one-hour ozone standard. The maintenance plan provides for
continued attainment of the one-hour ozone air quality
standard for the St. Louis nonattainment area for a period
of at least ten years after U.S. EPA has formally redesignated the
area to attainment. The plan also provides assurances that, even
if there is a subsequent violation of the air quality standard,
measures listed in the Plan will prevent any future occurrences
through contingency measures that would be triggered upon
such an occurrence. The IEPA has prepared a draft maintenance
plan for the Metro-East area, and will conduct a hearing on
November 7th, in Collinsville, to solicit comments from the
public.
Asbestos Workshop: East St. Louis August
19th
The Small Business Environmental Assistance
Program along with Senator James Clayborne, Jr.,
the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency,
Illinois Department of Public Health, and the SIUE
East St. Louis Small Business Development Center
will be sponsoring a workshop for general
contractors, building code officials, and demolition
contractors regarding asbestos regulations and the
proper disposal of construction & demolition
debris.
Depending on the present, past, and future use of
the property and the size of the project being
undertaken, many projects require that
notifications be filed with either the Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency or the Illinois
Department of Public Health. To help those
involved in the construction industry better
understand these regulations and other
environmental requirements for construction &
demolition waste, a workshop will be held at the
East St. Louis Small Business Development Center
located at 411 East Broadway from 5:00 – 7:00 in the
evening.
To register for the workshop or to get copies of
asbestos notification packages call the Small
Business Environmental Assistance Helpline at
800/252-3998.