Newsroom
All News Releases By Date
NORTHEASTERN STATES SHOW SUCCESS OF NITROGEN OXIDE EMISSION TRADING PROGRAM
Release Date: 05/10/2001
Contact Information:
FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2001
NORTHEASTERN STATES SHOW SUCCESS OF
NITROGEN OXIDE EMISSION TRADING PROGRAM
Dave Ryan 202-260-7827 / ryan.dave@epa.gov
NITROGEN OXIDE EMISSION TRADING PROGRAM
Dave Ryan 202-260-7827 / ryan.dave@epa.gov
A new report shows the continued success of an innovative, market-based, emission trading program to control nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions in northeastern states. NOx is a prime ingredient in the formation of the nation’s most pervasive air pollutant, ground level ozone (smog), which can irritate the respiratory tract, impair breathing ability and cause various other respiratory problems. In participating states, NOx emissions were reduced 11 percent below legal limits, and more than 60 percent below 1990 levels. This program, begun in 1999, represents the first implementation of an air emission cap and trade approach to an issue other than acid rain, where the trading strategy has been used successfully nationwide since 1995 to control sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from power plants. Today’s report was released by the Ozone Transport Commission (OTC) which Congress created under the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments to better coordinate the efforts of northeastern states in reducing NOx emissions. In a unique partnership between federal and state government, the OTC asked EPA to help implement their NOx program. The trading program demonstrates that EPA and state organizations such as OTC can successfully partner to make substantial reductions in NOx emissions using least-cost approaches. The “2000 OTC NOx Budget Program Compliance Report” can be found at: http://www.sso.org/otc/ or at: www.epa.gov/airmarkets/cmprpt/index.html. For further technical information, contact Kenon Smith at 202-564-9164 (e-mail: smith.kenon@epa.gov).
R-072 ###
Search this collection of releases | or search all news releases
View selected historical press releases from 1970 to 1998 in the EPA History website.
