Acid Deposition and Sulfur Loadings Reduction Act

Summary

Acid Deposition and Sulfur Loadings Reduction Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to establish a new program for acid deposition and sulfur loadings reduction. Establishes a long-range transport corridor, the "acid deposition impact region," consisting of 31 States (east of or bordering the Mississippi River) and the District of Columbia. Directs the Administrator to: (1) conduct a study of air pollution problems associated with the long-range transport of pollutants in the portions of the continental United States not included in the acid deposition impact region; and (2) report the results to Congress within two years. Prohibits any increase in emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from stationary sources in the acid deposition impact region over the total actual emissions of each pollutant in such region as of January 1, 1981. Prohibits any major stationary source in such region from increasing its actual rate of such emissions over that experienced by such source during 1980, unless there has been identified for such source an "offset" (a simultaneous net reduction in emissions of such pollutant at one or more points in such region which is in excess of the proposed increase in emission rate and which is not otherwise required by a State implementation plan or by requirements for sulfur dioxide reductions by States and major stationary sources. Requires that annual emissions of sulfur dioxide in the acid deposition impact region be reduced by 12,000,000 tons from the total 1980 level, through a phased reduction to be completed by January 1, 1998. Requires each State in such region to achieve reductions in annual sulfur dioxide emissions according to a formula based on each State's share of utility emissions in excess of a specified level in the region. Permits State Governors to reallot the required reductions. Requires each State in the region to adopt, within two years, enforcement measures to achieve such reduction. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to approve such measures within six months if such measures: (1) contain enforceable requirements for continuous emission reduction; (2) contain requirements for monitoring by the source and enforcement agencies to assure that emission limitations are being met; and (3) are adequate to achieve the reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions for such State within the time limit for the region. Requires each major stationary source subject to an emission limitation established under such State sulfur dioxide reduction requirements to notify the Governor by January 1, 1987, of its intended method of compliance. Directs the Governor to submit such notifications to the Administrator. Provides that such emission limitations, compliance schedules, and other approved measures shall be deemed State implementation plan requirements. Sets a January 1, 1989, deadline for compliance with State or major stationary source sulfur dioxide reduction emission limitations by each major stationary source that states it will comply through the use of fuel substitution. Requires that each major stationary source that states it will comply with such emission limitations through the installation of a technological system of continuous emission reduction or the replacement of existing facilities with new facilities with substantially lower emissions, to: (1) enter into binding contractual commitments to acquire, install, or construct such system or facilities, by January 1, 1989; and (2) be in compliance with such emission limitations, by January 1, 1998. Requires each State in the region to achieve by January 1, 1993, an emissions reduction equal to at least five-sixths of its total State sulfur dioxide requirement. Sets forth major stationary source sulfur dioxide reduction requirements in States in the region which have not adopted, and had approved by the Administrator, such enforceable measures. Requires the owner or operator of each fossil-fuel-burning electric generating facility which is not subject to new stationary source performance standards and which emitted at an annual rate equal to or greater than 1.2 pounds of sulfur dioxide per million Btu during 1980 to comply with an emission limitation for all such facilities owned or operated by the same entity in the region equivalent to a 30-day average of 1.2 pounds of sulfur dioxide per million Btu. Requires owners or operators of such facilities to submit to the Administrator a plan and schedule for compliance not later than three years after enactment of this Act. Directs the Administrator to approve any such plan and schedule if it contains requirements for continuous emission reduction and monitoring and achievement of compliance by the same deadlines as under provisions for State sulfur dioxide reduction requirements. Sets forth the methods or programs for net emission reduction which may be used, in addition to enforceable continuous emission measures, by a State or the owner or operator of a source, if emission limitations under such methods or programs are enforceable by the Federal Government, States other than those in which the emissions occur, and citizens under specified provisions. Requires that, by January 1, 2000, each major stationary source in any State in the region shall be subject to an emissions limit at least as stringent as that of the most stringent emission limitation contained in the implementation plan of any State for such class or category of source, unless the owner or operator of the proposed source demonstrates that such limitations are not achievable ("lowest achievable emissions rate"). Permits a State or the owner or operator of a source required to achieve emission reductions under this Act to substitute reduction in emissions of oxides of nitrogen for required reductions in emissions of sulfur dioxide, at a rate of two units by weight of oxides of nitrogen for each unit of sulfur dioxide.

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• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 10 March 1983

  Open at official source

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