1990 Clean Air Act Amendment

The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments are a major piece of legislation passed by the U.S. Congress to increase the regulation and control of air pollution. The act addressed pollutants such as ozone, particulate matter, and acid rain, and established requirements for vehicle fuels. The Clean Air Act Amendments also placed significant focus on emissions from non-road sources, such as buildings and industrial plants. In addition, the act strengthened and expanded programs to protect public health and the environment from the effects of hazardous emissions, and created the acid rain program, which requires power plants to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. The legislation included strict auto-emission standards, incentives for state and local governments to reduce air pollution, and the authority to launch nationwide monitoring of air quality. It is considered to be the cornerstone of U.S. environmental law and is responsible for the gradual improvement of air quality across the country.