The Clean Air Rules of 2004 encompass the following major rules:
Interstate Air
Rule
The Clean Air Interstate Rule (proposed as the Interstate Air Quality Rule)
provides states with a solution to the problem of power plant pollution
that drifts from one state to another. The rule uses a cap and trade system
to reduce the target pollutants by 70%.
Mercury Rule
The Clean Air Mercury Rule (proposed as the Utility Mercury Reductions
Rule) will regulate mercury from power plants the largest domestic
source of mercury emissions. This is the first time power-plant mercury
emissions will be regulated.
Nonroad Diesel Rule
The Clean Air Nonroad Diesel Rule will change the way diesel engines function
to remove emissions and the way diesel fuel is refined to remove sulfur.
The black puff of smoke you see coming from construction and other nonroad
diesel equipment will be gone forever.
Ozone Rules
The Clean Air Ozone Rules (dealing with 8-hour ground-level ozone designation
and implementation) will designate those areas whose air does not meet
the health-based standards for ground-level ozone. The ozone rules will
classify the seriousness of the problem and require states to submit plans
for reducing the levels of ozone in areas where the ozone standards are
not met.
Fine Particle Rules
The Clean Air Fine Particle Rules (dealing with 8-hour PM 2.5 designation
and implementation) will designate those areas whose air does not meet
the health-based standards for fine-particulate pollution. This will require
states to submit plans for reducing the levels of particulate pollution
in areas where the fine-particle standards are not met
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