Clean Air Act of 1990

Clean Air Act of 1990

Evolution and Improvement on the Clean Air Act of 1990

Historically, the degree to which government should play a role in the environment has been a subject of great debate. Many believe that environmental protection is the penultimate issue of our day. Because the United States produces greenhouse gas emissions in amounts as large as China's, although the United States is much smaller than China in population, these people argue that the United States must make immediate changes. The Clean Air Act of 1990 is the latest standard in a series of acts allowing for federal "programs regarding air pollution control."

Although it sets the current standard, the 1990 legislation is not alone. The Clean Air Act of 1990 builds on several other clean air initiatives, the earliest of which was passed in 1963. Although the Clean Air Act can still be improved in order to further protection against pollution, an examination of the earlier forms of the act suggest that it has made drastic improvements in the area of environmental protection. The following discussion will study the Clean Air Acts of 1963 and 1970, the Clean Air Act of 1990's improvements upon them, and improvements for the future.

The earliest forms of air pollution legislation set the stage for the 1990s legislation. Although 1955 saw the first federal legislation in connection with air pollution, the act only provided for research. It was 1963, therefore, that brought the first legislation regarding pollution "control." This act allowed the government to research how it might control pollution, and in 1967, the Air Quality Act allowed for some government regulation of air pollution in interstate areas. It was not until 1970, however, that legislation regulating pollution in the United States became standard. During that year, a series of federal and state programs were created in order to regulate both industrial and automotive air pollution.

Despite the fact that these acts and amendments dealt with air pollution in an innovative way, the Clean Air Act of 1990 made significant improvements upon them. For instance, the 1990 legislation incorporated alternative fuels for the first time. Furthermore, the Clean Air Act of 1990 developed new programs and standards to help those businesses that had yet to meet environmental standards. Finally, the 1990s act made significant improvements on the others by allowing for new technologies with the ability to aid in the quest for clean air.

Despite the fact that the Clean Air Act has obviously evolved over the years to allow more government intervention and increased technological innovation, however, improvements can still be made. For example, the Clean Air Act of 1990 does not make mention of the contribution homes make to the problem. The World Wide Fund for Nature, however, suggests that simple daily living changes can greatly benefit the environment. Indoor air pollution, and smoking, which are harmful to the environment and others' health, is also not addressed.

In conclusion, the environment and air pollution are vital parts of an industrialized society. The clean Air Act attempted to address these problems through several versions. The earlier versions of the act suggest an attempt to solve the problem of air pollution, although the Clean Air Act of 1990 suggests a definite improvement, allowing for alternative fuels and technology. Still, more can be done to improve air quality, such as the monitoring of private home emissions and energy usage.