United States
A^ftRftOlftQ Environmental Protection
June 1980
Agency
Acid Rain:
The Time
to Act is
Now
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Remarks by Douglas M. Costle,
Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Acid Rain Conference with the States
Springfield, Virginia
April 8, 1980
U,C i nvircnrnentai Prou
Our knowledge of acid deposition is not
perfect. As one scientist recently put it to me,
the problem has gradually "snuck up" on
us in the last few years. Extensive research is now
underway by government, industry and
independent scientists both in the United States
and abroad. For example, last August, the
President intensified federal research efforts by
establishing the Acid Rain Coordination
Committee to oversee a ten year, $100 million
budget. Many states have set up monitoring
programs to assess the impact of acid deposition
within their borders. And several other countries,
particularly the Scandinavians, already have
compiled some complete and dramatic
information about acid deposition effects.
While there is much we do not know:
• We do know acid deposition can and has
destroyed lake and stream ecosystems, killing fish
and other water life. Lakes in northern
Minnesota, about 200 lakes in New York and
many hundreds of lakes in Canada already are
acidified and their fish populations are shrinking
or are extinct. Headwater streams in the
Appalachian chain from Georgia to Maine are
becoming acidified.
• We know some soils are being damaged over
time due to leaching of minerals and nutrients.
• We know stone buildings and monuments are
eroded more rapidly by acid rain.
• We know sulfur mist from power plants is
contributing significantly to poor visibility in the
northeast, which averages less than eight miles.
• We suspect some important crops could be
damaged by acid deposition and that others may
be injured by acidified soil.
• We suspect growth of some forests may be
reduced.
• We suspect that in the long term some drinking
water supplies may be contaminated by toxic
metals leached from the soils by acid deposition.
What we know and what we suspect about acid
deposition tell us we are faced with a genuine and
serious environmental problem. It is a problem
which will—if allowed to grow unchecked—carry
substantial economic cost. Further research and
development of new control technologies must
continue. But in my judgment, we should not le
the problem get worse while we learn how to
make it better.
I have discussed my concerns about acid rain
with the President. The President shares my bel
that acid rain is a serious problem and one that
must be addressed. He has asked me to proposi
solutions—which I intend to do. In formulating
those solutions, I want—and 1 intend—to consi
widely with various interested groups.
As a practical matter, the only way to reduce
acid deposition is to reduce emissions of sulfur
and nitrogen oxides, the pollutants that cause tl
problem. Among the major sources of these
pollutants are utility power plants. Last year we
set emission standards for new power plants wh
will prevent them from contributing significantl
to the problem of acid deposition. However, thi
are hundreds of older power plants that are eith
uncontrolled or poorly controlled. Any effective
plan to reduce acid deposition will, of necessity
require reducing emissions from these older
plants.
As the nation backs away from oil and turns
coal for its energy needs, reducing total regiona
emissions will not be easy; but it can be done. I
wholeheartedly support coal conversion. It is
essential that this nation reduce its dependence
imported oil. I strongly believe, and have
consistently stated publicly, that we can switch
coal and, at the same time, protect against
environmental degradation. As we do so, we m
realize 'that the distribution of coal reserves in t
country precludes us from relying simply on lo\
sulfur coal. The welfare of our miners and the
economies of our eastern and midwestern coal-
producing states require that we find ways to u:
all our coal. The New Source Performance
Standard for coal-fired power plants allows for
just that.
I know many of you are also concerned with
the economic effects of being downwind of
interstate transport of air pollutants. In reality,
states both import and export air pollution. Wl
one state is forced to clamp down on sources
within its borders to compensate for pollution
coming from a neighboring state, however, its
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industry unfairly may bear an inequitable share of
the costs for dealing with what is in reality a
larger, regional problem. Moreover, the state's
margin for economic growth may be unfairly
reduced.
In the future, EPA intends to involve itself
more directly in these issues. Where states are
unable to resolve these inequities among
themselves, we will use our authority in favor of
the state imposing more stringent controls when it
is being adversely affected by another state with
relatively lax controls.
Our goals are clear. The best means to achieve
them is not. As we chart a course of action, we
must face the fact that the Clean Air Act has been
used primarily to protect air quality near major
pollution sources on a state-by-state basis. The
Act has not been fully tested in dealing with
regional pollution problems such as acid
deposition. However, if we are to do anything in
the very near term, we must work within its
current structure.
We intend to put the provisions of the law that
allow us to address regional problems to the test.
The effectiveness of these provisions remains to be
seen. They simply may offer more opportunity for
debate and prolonged litigation without providing
any real benefits. Although it is still too early to
draw definite conclusions, we may need legislative
help.
I am convinced that there will be no obvious,
easy or cheap solutions. There will inevitably be
debate over both the significance of acid
deposition and the mechanisms for its control.
I am persuaded that the time has come to make
the transition from research to action. My bottom
line is to accomplish, in the near term, a real
reduction in emissions from current levels. As a
first step, we must act now to avoid, wherever
possible, significant increases in emissions of
sulfur and nitrogen compounds which are causing
the acid deposition problem to increase both in
severity and in geographic extent. We can then
turn to the question of reducing atmospheric
loadings from current levels. 1 look at this
conference as a first step toward building
substantial agreements between the States on the
seriousness of the problem and on the kinds of
near-term and long-term remedial actions that are
appropriate.
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