The Law of Federal Air Pollution Control

The Clean Air Act, while recognizing the primary responsibility of states and local governments for the prevention and control of air pollution, provides authority for federal initiative and action to prevent and to abate air pollution which “endangers the health or welfare of any persons.” The applicable statutory procedures and the scope of federal authority are analyzed and discussed.     

Federal Air Pollution Prevention and Abatement Responsibilities and Operations

The direct federal role in air pollution control was expanded and intensified by the 89th Congress to include authority for: (1) abatement of international pollution; (2) promulgation and enforcement of regulations regarding emissions from new motor vehicles and engines; and (8) the conduct cf conferences and formulation of advisory recommendations concerning potential air pollution of substantial significance. Experiences under interstate abatement authorities of the Clean Air Act and plans for future activities under the new authorities are discussed.     

Current Trends in Federal Interagency Relations Concerning Air Pollution

Under the first Federal Air Pollution Act of 1955, which assigned the responsibility for developing a national program to the Public Health Service, a significant phase of the program involved other federal agencies through a series of contractual relationships. These interdepartmental relationships were limited however, to the objective of capitalizing on the diverse research facilities and specialized competencies within the federal establishment, as a means of accelerating the research and technical assistance program authorized under the act. With the passage of the Clean Air Act of 1963, a major new emphasis has been added to the federal air pollution control program—application of technical knowledge, through broadly accelerated control programs. This emphasis is reflected in current trends in the nature and type of the Public Health Service’s developing relationships with other federal agencies. The emerging PHS programs to prevent and control air pollution from federal facilities, the PHS role in preventing pollution arising from transportation systems aided under the new Urban Mass Transportation Act, and other developing interagency relationships and problem areas are discussed in this context.     

Air Pollution Control Association Critical Reviews Program

This is the fourth in the series of Critical Reviews commissioned by the APCA Board of Directors. The first Critical Review "Regulations for the Control of Particulate and Sulfur Oxides Emissions" was published in 1974 and the topic is still timely. The second Critical Review "Regulations for the Control of Hydrocarbon Emissions (from Stationary Sources) and Odorous Pollutants" was published in 1975. In light of recent developments concerning hydrocarbon emissions from stationary sources, this Critical Review is again very timely. The third Critical Review "The Effect of Air Pollution Control Regulations on Land Use Planning" will soon be published in final form. Now we have the fourth in the series, "A Critical Review of Air Pollution Index Systems in the United States and Canada" and "Status Report on Federal Regulations for New Source Performance Standards".     

A Canadian Federal Viewpoint on the Regulatory Process for Air Pollution Control

The following remarks are excerpted from an address presented by Mr. Rivers on October 7, 1980 to the 4th annual meeting of the Atlantic Canada Chapter of APCA's Northeast Atlantic International Section.     

The Interstate Air Pollution Surveillance Program Effects Network

A program has been designed to meet a nationwide intelligence-gathering responsibility to obtain general and relative information on current and potential air pollution in areas where interstate transport of pollution may reasonably be expected to exist. This paper describes the field devices utilized in the program. By means of these static “effects packages,” data will be accumulated on: dustfall, particulate impingement, sulfation, corrosion, and tarnishing of metals, and deterioration of textiles, dyes, and rubber. Data accumulated during the “pilot phase” of the program will be discussed.     

Performance Budgeting for the Public Health Service Air Pollution Program

The Lurgi-MB-Filler collects dust from industrial gases by mechanical means in a dry state. It works in continuous operation at temperatures up to 660°F with high dust collecting efficiencies and a low draft loss. The gas to be cleaned passes through a filter bed consisting of abrasion resisting material such as gravel, etc. The captured dust is removed from the filter bed by a patented vibrating system which shakes the spring supported filter bed containers. Simple design and automatic operation ensure low investment and operating costs and give an economic superiority in the fields of cleaning waste air from clinker coolers, conveyors, crushers, pulverizing mills, driers, and preparation plants.     

An Analysis of State Air Pollution Conrol Expenditures

Air pollution control, a significant problem facing state governments, receives a varying amount of fiscal resources in each state. The purpose of this paper is to examine social, economic, and political factors that may be related to state air pollution control expenditures. The indicators of the social-economic factors are urbanization, industrial pollution potential, income, and industrialization. The indicators of the political system are interparty competition, malapportionment, voter participation, local control effort, and general state expenditure efforts. The findings show that the few states expending for air pollution control in 1963 were, for the most part, characterized by a high level of economic development. In 1967, states at all levels of economic development allocated revenues for air pollution, although the more developed continued to hold an edge. In neither year did the political variables differentiate between levels of expenditure. The reasons advanced for the expenditure behavior in 1963 are the historical predominance of local control and the structural limitations of state governments. The wider, and increased, expenditures in 1967 are assessed to be the result of federal grants, the vigorous effort put forth by state control officials, and the increased public concern for the problem.     

Radiological Program of the Los Angeles County Air Pollution Control District

Abstract

One technology Geld tested under the SITE demonstration program was stabilization-solidification. The HAZCON process was one of those tested. It treats hazardous wastes, consisting of both inorganic and organic contaminants, by mixing it with portland cement, water and a proprietary additive called Chloranan in a modified cement mixer to produce a concrete mass. In evaluating the technology during the demonstration, two major criteria were investigated by using existing laboratory tests. These criteria were mobility of the contaminants before and after treatment and the long-term effect on mobility, and durability of the solidified masses. The former criteria was evaluated using various leaching tests, primarily the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and permeability. The durability criteria was determined from weathering tests, wet-dry and freezethaw, unconfined compressive strength, microstructural analyses and sampling the prepared blocks from the demonstration twice at 9-month intervals. This paper describes the results of the field sampling performed 9 and 18 months after the initial field demonstration and relates it to the results obtained during the demonstration.

According to the data, little or no change in the chemical and physical properties of the blocks occurred. The technology is capable of immobilizing heavy metals. The organics were not immobilized and the treated material appears quite durable.     

State and Local Manpower Resources and Requirements for Air Pollution Control

A recent survey discloses that the total number of professional and technical personnel currently employed in state and local air pollution control agencies is small relative to the total employment of scientists, engineers, and technicians in state and local government generally. The data also indicate that very few positions in control agencies require specialized formal training in air pollution control prior to employment. In general, the future demand for qualified personnel to staff state and local programs depends fundamentally upon our national air quality objectives and the abatement strategy for achieving these objectives. Not until air quality objectives have been made operational and a comprehensive control strategy has been adopted will it be possible to make meaningful forecasts of future state and local manpower requirements. State and local control agencies could probably meet their present requirements by attracting qualified scientists, engineers, and technicians from other fields, if they had salary structures which were competitive with those of industry and the federal government.