Pod Technologies: Update: 10/2006

Acid Rain Program 2005 Progress Report

US EPA has posted The Acid Rain Program 2005 Progress Report. The report states that during its eleven years the Acid Rain Program has:

• Reduced SO2 emissions by over 5.5 million tons from 1990 levels, or about 35 percent of total emissions from the power sector. Compared to 1980 levels, SO2 emissions from power plants have dropped by more than 7 million tons, or about 41 percent;
• Cut NOx emissions by about 3 million tons from 1990 levels, so that emissions in 2005 were less than half the level anticipated without the program. Other efforts, such as the NOx Budget Trading Program in the eastern United States, also contributed significantly to this reduction;
• Led to significant cuts in acid deposition, including reductions in sulfate deposition of about 36 percent in some regions of the United States and improvements in environmental indicators, such as fewer acidic lakes; and
• Provided the most complete and accurate emission data ever developed under a federal air pollution control program and made that data available and accessible by using comprehensive electronic data reporting and Web-based tools for agencies, researchers, affected sources, and the public.

10/16/2006

AQMD Draft 2007 Air Quality Management Plan

South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) released a road map for meeting new and more stringent federal clean air standards through dozens of proposed aggressive pollution control measures on sources from consumer products to ocean-going ships. The Draft 2007 Air Quality Management Plan lays out a detailed strategy for meeting the federal fine particulate PM2.5 standard by 2015 and the federal 8-hour ozone standard by 2021.

Proposed control measures in the plan include:

• Modernization of industrial/commercial facilities;
• Further emission reductions from gasoline service stations;
• Emission reductions from wood-burning fireplaces and woodstoves;
• Emission reductions from new or redevelopment projects; and
• Emission reductions and enhanced emissions inspections of mobile sources.

10/10/2006

Clean Air Markets Units Database

Search the Clean Air Markets Units Database for information on units in the US EPA Clean Air Markets Program. Data are based on US EPA Clean Air Markets Data for 2006 and include state, facility name, unit ID, unit type, primary fuel, air pollution controls (nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter), maximum heat input capacity, and owner/operator information.

10/07/2006