Great Progress Has Been Made With More to Come

One of the great untold environmental stories is how air quality has improved dramatically over the past 30 years. In its annual Report on the Environment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has documented the air quality improvements that have taken place since the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970. In the last 35 years, total national emissions of the six most common air pollutants have been significantly reduced, including sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Amazingly, this improvement in national air quality has occurred while the economy has grown dramatically. The U.S. electric power industry, including cooperatives, has reduced air emissions substantially during this time. We have achieved these dramatic reductions using advanced pollution control technologies, building cleaner and more efficient new plants, and using cleaner-burning fuels.

Sensible multi-emission legislation can reduce power plant emissions more quickly and economically than continued regulation under current law. NRECA believes Congress should enact legislation that will address these objectives while balancing America’s energy, environmental and economic needs.

Current proposals to reduce mercury emissions from power plants are often in the news. The “Frequently Asked Questions” document below is intended to provide some basic information about mercury, its sources, its impacts, and our ability to reduce emissions from power plants.

Documents:

•  Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR)
  Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) and Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) Update.
  Type:   Date: 2009-06-25  Size: 51KB

•  Mercury FAQs
  This document provides basic information about mercury, its sources, its impacts and our ability to reduce emissions from power plants.
  Type: Q and A  Date: 2005-12-02  Size: 647KB