Acid Deposition and Sulfur Loadings Reduction Act

Summary

Acid Deposition and Sulfur Loadings Reduction Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to limit the application of such Act's sulfur dioxide emissions limitations to sources constructed or modified in 1980 and earlier. Requires electric utilities in the acid deposition impact region which convert to coal after 1980 to meet an emission standard not in excess of 1.2 pounds of sulfur dioxide per million British thermal units (Btu's). Designates an acid deposition impact region comprising a long-range transport corridor of 31 States east of the Mississippi and the District of Columbia. Requires such region to achieve in two equal stages a total reduction of annual emissions of sulfur dioxide of ten million tons below 1980 levels, the first five million by the start of 1991, and all reductions by the start of 1998. Excludes post-1980 sources. Directs the Acid Precipitation Task Force to implement an accelerated research program during the first stage to examine the pattern of effects of atmospheric loading of pollutants such as sulfur and nitrogen oxides. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1986 through 1991. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to evaluate such results until no later than the start of 1994. Authorizes appropriations for such evaluations for FY 1991 through 1993. Authorizes the Administrator to vary through rulemaking by the start of 1993 the requirements of the second stage based upon the first stage research evaluations. Requires the Administrator to report to the Congress on proposed changes and requires such changes to increase protection of sensitive areas and mitigation of identified damage. Directs the Administrator to report to the Congress by the start of 1993 if a determination is made that individual State nitrogen oxides reduction standards should not be established. Requires each State to reduce its proportional share of annual sulfur dioxide emissions, permitting two or more States to reallot their shares among themselves so long as the total, required reduction is achieved. Requires each State to adopt enforceable reduction measures within two years of this Act's enactment, submitting them to the Administrator for approval and other States for comment. Provides for revisions of such measures by the State or the Administrator. Requires a major stationary source subject to a first stage emission limitation under this Act to notify its State within 18 months of this Act's enactment as to the method of compliance intended, which shall be transmitted to the Administrator. Requires compliance by fuel substitution or coal cleaning within three years. Requires sources complying through technological systems installation or facility replacement to enter into binding contracts for such solutions within four years. Requires notice of means of compliance for the second stage to be made to the State for transmission to the Administrator by the start of 1995. Requires second stage sources complying through technological systems or facility replacement to have binding contracts by the start of 1996. Applies Federal reduction standards of 1.2 pounds of sulfur dioxide per million Btu's on a 30-day average to covered sources in States in the impact region without the required enforcement measures. Requires the owner or operator of such sources to submit a compliance plan and schedule to the Administrator for approval. Permits the use of the following measures to reduce emissions in addition to enforceable continuous emission reduction measures if such measures are enforceable by entities and persons other than the State in which the emissions occur: (1) least emissions dispatch to meet electric generating demand at existing generating capacity; (2) retirement of major stationary sources at an earlier than provided for date; (3) investments in energy conservation where emission reductions can be identified with such investments; (4) trading of emission reduction requirements and actual reductions through emission reduction banks or brokerage institutions; and (5) precombustion cleaning of fuels. Directs the Administrator and the Secretaries of Energy, Commerce, and State to induce Canada to achieve comparable reductions. Requires the Administrator to certify that progress on such front is being made by Canada before the Department of Energy approves agreements for the importation of electric energy from Canada under the Federal Power Act. Directs the Administrator to establish a study commission to report to the Congress by the start of 1986 on mechanisms to reduce the potential economic disruption caused by implementation of this Act, including the possibility of a fee-generated trust fund.

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1 official file

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 25 February 1985

  Open at official source

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