“Now is Not the Time to Take a Breather”: United States Federal Land Management Agency Professionals’ Perceptions at the 40th Anniversary of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977

Abstract

Poor air quality has long been one of the dominant transboundary issues facing protected areas worldwide. In 1977, the United States Congress amended the Clean Air Act to address federally-managed lands containing valued air resources (i.e. scenic views). Forty years later, we interviewed professionals from the U.S. National Park Service, Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management (n=38) regarding their perceptions of the legacy of the Clean Air Act and other federal policies relevant to air resources, as well as their perceptions of the future of air resource management on U.S federal lands. Results were analyzed using a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis supported by in vivo, thematic, and salience coding. Our findings illustrate national progress in air resource management, potential policy directions, and highlight the influence of emerging technologies and governance in air resource management within protected areas.

Keywords:

• Air quality
• air pollution
• Clean Air Act
• manager perceptions
• protected area