National Enforcement Initiatives for Fiscal Years 2014-2016: Reducing Air Pollution from the Largest Sources
Fast Fact
Coal-fired power plants emitted over 4.5 million tons of SO2 and over 1.6 million tons of NOx in 2010. (Source: CAMD Acid Rain Database)
Problem
The New Source Review (NSR) and Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) requirements of the Clean Air Act require certain large industrial facilities to install state-of-the-art air pollution controls when they build new facilities or make significant modifications to existing facilities. EPA investigations reveal that many facilities failed to install pollution controls after modifications, causing them to emit pollutants that can impact air quality and public health.
Goal
This initiative has focused on ensuring that large industrial facilities, like coal fired power plants and acid, glass and cement manufacturing facilities, comply with the Clean Air Act when building new facilities or making modifications to existing ones. This initiative has resulted in significant cuts in air emissions, especially from coal fired power plants, since it began in 2005. EPA will continue to monitor the progress of existing settlement agreements to ensure actions required under those settlements are implemented and air pollution reduction targets are met.
Progress on Reducing Air Pollution from the Largest Sources
The following charts show EPA's progress in reducing emissions from under-controlled coal-fired utilities, cement, glass, and acid plants.
- Total NOx and SO2 emissions from coal-fired utilities
- The cumulative estimated SO2 emission reductions obtained from acid, glass, and cement NSR settlements
- The cumulative estimated NOx emission reductions obtained from acid, glass, and cement NSR settlements
- EPA's progress toward investigating and controlling cement plant facilities
- EPA's progress toward investigating and controlling glass plant facilities
- EPA's progress toward investigating and controlling coal-fired electric utility units
- EPA's progress toward investigating and controlling acid plant facilities
- EPA's progress toward controlling coal-fired electric utilities by generating capacity
Map of coal-fired electric utilities: current level of NSR/PSD air pollution controls