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EPA Report Highlights Pollution Reduction Control Technologies with the Clean Air Interstate Rule

Release Date: 04/18/2006
Contact Information: John Millett, (202) 564-4355 / millett.john@epa.gov

(4/18/06) EPA released a report on the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) today highlighting data and analyses showing that under CAIR, the power industry will provide cleaner power through the installation of advanced control technologies, use of cleaner coal and other changes in the power industry. Issued on March 10, 2005, CAIR will achieve dramatic reductions in air pollution by requiring 28 states and the District of Columbia to reduce and cap emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) from power plants.

By 2020, nearly 80 percent of all coal-fired power plant capacity in the CAIR region will have advanced pollution controls installed and working to reduce emissions of NOx and SO2. Also in 2020, 99 percent of coal-fired power plant generation in the CAIR region will employ some form of NOx or SO2 control. Although 295 regulated coal units in the CAIR region are projected to be without advanced control technologies, those units represent only 20 percent of coal fired generation.

When fully implemented, CAIR will reduce SO2 emissions in the CAIR region over 70 percent and NOx emissions by over 60 percent from 2003 levels. These reductions are expected to result in more than $100 billion in health benefits per year by 2015 and help prevent an estimated 17,000 premature deaths annually.

More information on today's report: epa.gov/airmarkets/

General information about the Clean Air Interstate Rule: epa.gov/cair