new priorities in air pollution control

Abstract

Recent federal air pollution control laws and regulations have required significant changes in the “game plan” for developing regulations to limit emissions and achieve acceptable air quality. Major elements of the so called “Air Resource Management” concept have been found, in practice, to be meaningless and/or unworkable. Experiences in designating “air quality control regions,” interpreting “air quality criteria” and adopting ambient and emissions standards have indicated the need to change our approach and discontinue a number of past nonproductive activities. The “Clean Air Amendments of 1970” call for a more direct and pragmatic approach, e.g., basing emission standards on the best available control technology. It is now necessary to overcome the momentum built up in attempting to implement the now obsolete elements of the Air Quality Act of 1967. Present efforts and concerns with Air Quality Control Regions, exotic diffusion modeling and extensive criteria development should be replaced with efforts to develop practical and effective emission standards, enforcement techniques and land use standards.