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Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR)

Petition

On September 24, 2008, The United States filed a petition for rehearing in the Clean Air Interstate Rule case.

Read the Petition (PDF 23pp, 1058k)

Declarations by Brian McLean and William Harnett (PDF 11pp, 454k)

On March 10, 2005, EPA issued the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR). This rule provides states with a solution to the problem of power plant pollution that drifts from one state to another. CAIR covers 28 eastern states and the District of Columbia. The rule uses a cap and trade system to reduce the target pollutants—sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx)—by 70 percent.

States must achieve the required emission reductions using one of two compliance options: (1) meet the state’s emission budget by requiring power plants to participate in an EPA-administered interstate cap and trade system that caps emissions in two stages, or (2) meet an individual state emissions budget through measures of the state’s choosing.

A closely related action is the Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) that requires coal-fired electric utilities to reduce their emissions of mercury.

See also:

Notice

On July 11, 2008, the D.C. Circuit vacated EPA's Clean Air Interstate Rule. EPA is reviewing the Court's decisions and evaluating its impacts.

Read the Court's Opinion (PDF) (60pp, 221k)

More Information

For technical information and rulemaking details, visit EPA’s Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) Web site.

 


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