The OTC Challenge: Adding VOC Controls in the Northeast

The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments create an ozone transport region made up of the northeastern and mid-Atlantic states. These new provisions call for VOC and NOx controls even in clean areas of the region in order to reduce ozone transport to downwind areas. The stationary and mobile source requirements will subject many air pollution sources to controls for the first time.

The provisions also create an Ozone Transport Commission, which can recommend that additional control measures be adopted in all or part of the region. So far, the commission has focused primarily on region-wide mobile source controls, such as California low emission vehicle standards and reformulated gasoline. But lately it has been paying increasing attention to stationary source measures, including NOx controls.