Clean Air
Clean Air Interstate Rule
Policy Snapshot: Clean Air Interstate Rule
In December 2003, pending Congressional action on Clear Skies, the President directed EPA to announce a proposal to require coal-burning power plants to make the steepest emissions cuts in over a decade.
The Clean Air Interstate Rule will require power plants to substantially reduce emissions of SO 2 and NOx. SO 2 emissions will be cut by nearly 70 percent and NOx emissions will be cut by approximately 65 percent.
In some parts of the country, SO2 and NOx are transported by wind, causing environmental and health problems hundreds of miles away from the source. SO2 and NOx emissions contribute to the formation of fine particles, which can pose serious health risks, especially for people with heart or lung disease (including asthma) and older adults.
To address these concerns, as Congress continues to consider the Clear Skies legislation, the Bush Administration is proposing a rule to require power plants to make the steepest emissions cuts in more than a decade. The Clean Air Interstate Rule will require power plants in the 29 Easternmost states and the District of Columbia to upgrade their facilities to reduce SO2 and NOx. The agency coordinated proposals to reduce mercury emissions from coal-burning power plants, another critical component of the Clear Skies legislation. Combined, these rules will prompt an investment of tens of billions of dollars by the power sector to reduce the emissions of these pollutants. The results will be better public health, ecosystems, and visibility:
- SO2 emissions would drop by 3.6 million tons by 2010 (approximately 40 percent reduction from current levels), and
- SO2 emissions would drop by another 2 million tons when the rules are fully implemented after 2015 (a total reduction of nearly 70 percent from today's levels).
- NOx emissions would be cut by 1.5 million tons by 2010, and
- NOx emissions would drop by a total of 1.8 million tons by 2015 (a reduction of approximately 65 percent from today's levels in the 29 states and the District of Columbia covered under the rules).
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