Targeted Strategies for Control of Acidic Deposition

Abstract

This article examines a new approach to reducing sulfur dioxide emissions for the purpose of controlling acidic deposition: reducing emissions so as to maximize the reduction in sulfur deposition in certain sensitive receptor regions while minimizing the costs of control. State-of-the-art atmospheric transport models and pollution control models, while subject to acknowledged uncertainty, are used in combination to compare the merits of alternative control strategies. In strategies targeted for the Adirondacks, this article shows that costs could be reduced by 75–90%, compared to two of the bills before the U.S. Senate, to achieve the same amount of deposition reduction. Targeted strategies are also presented that would achieve multiple objectives, such as optimal deposition reduction in several receptor areas simultaneously, and that would achieve specified deposition goals for each of several receptor areas. The sensitivity of targeted strategies to meteorological variability is discussed. Finally, the effects of a control program that forces the use of technological controls are presented. The conclusion of this article is that state-of-theart modeling techniques, if applied prudently, can be used to design acid deposition control programs with considerably improved efficiency compared to the broad approaches being considered by Congress today.