Meanwhile, in 1990, the US Congress passed a series of amendments to the
(CAA) Clean Air Act. One was the inclusion of section 112(m), Atmospheric
Deposition to Great Lakes and Coastal Waters (ADGLCW). The biennial report
required by this section of the CAA amendments is to cover the following [57]:
1. The contribution of atmospheric deposition to pollution loadings in the Great
Waters
2. The environmental and public health effects of any pollution attributable to
atmospheric deposition to these waterbodies
3. The sources of any pollution attributable to atmospheric deposition to these
waterbodies
4. Whether pollution loadings in these waterbodies cause or contribute to
exceedances of drinking water or water quality standards or, with respect to the
Great Lakes, exceedances of the specific objectives of the Great Lakes Water
Quality Agreement
5. Descriptions of any revisions of the requirements, standards, and limitations of
relevant CAA and federal laws to ensure protection of human health and the
environment
The First and Second Great Waters Reports to Congress on atmospheric deposition to the Great Waters were published in May 1994 (US EPA 1994) and June
1997 (US EPA 1997). The first two reports presented the programmatic background
and covered the scientific issues that are addressed by the Great Waters program. The
Third Great Waters Report to Congress provides an update to the information
presented in previous reports and specifically highlights progress made since the
Second Report to Congress, including changes in pollutant emissions, deposition,
and effects, as well as recent advancements in the scientific understanding of
relevant issues. In addition, the report discusses recent activities and accomplishments of the many different initiatives that help protect the Great Waters from
pollutants deposited from the atmosphere.
The amendments also established research, reporting, and potential regulatory
requirements related to atmospheric deposition of HAPs (hazardous air pollutants) to
the “Great Waters. Title IV of these amendments established a program designed to
control emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Title IV called for a total
reduction of about 10 million tons of SO 2 emissions from power plants. It was
implemented in two phases. Phase I began in 1995 and limited sulfur dioxide
emissions from 110 of the largest power plants to a combined total of 8.7 million
tons of sulfur dioxide One power plant in New England (Merrimack) was in Phase
I. Four other plants (Newington, Mount Tom, Brayton Point, and Salem Harbor)
were added under other provisions of the program. Phase II began in 2000 and
affects most of the power plants in the country.
Emissions of nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide, generally called NO x , have
been reduced by a variety of programs required under the Clean Air Act. NO x is
emitted by anything burning fuel, such as power plants, large factories, automobiles,
trucks, and construction equipment.
7 Lake Restoration
285
(CAA) Clean Air Act. One was the inclusion of section 112(m), Atmospheric
Deposition to Great Lakes and Coastal Waters (ADGLCW). The biennial report
required by this section of the CAA amendments is to cover the following [57]:
1. The contribution of atmospheric deposition to pollution loadings in the Great
Waters
2. The environmental and public health effects of any pollution attributable to
atmospheric deposition to these waterbodies
3. The sources of any pollution attributable to atmospheric deposition to these
waterbodies
4. Whether pollution loadings in these waterbodies cause or contribute to
exceedances of drinking water or water quality standards or, with respect to the
Great Lakes, exceedances of the specific objectives of the Great Lakes Water
Quality Agreement
5. Descriptions of any revisions of the requirements, standards, and limitations of
relevant CAA and federal laws to ensure protection of human health and the
environment
The First and Second Great Waters Reports to Congress on atmospheric deposition to the Great Waters were published in May 1994 (US EPA 1994) and June
1997 (US EPA 1997). The first two reports presented the programmatic background
and covered the scientific issues that are addressed by the Great Waters program. The
Third Great Waters Report to Congress provides an update to the information
presented in previous reports and specifically highlights progress made since the
Second Report to Congress, including changes in pollutant emissions, deposition,
and effects, as well as recent advancements in the scientific understanding of
relevant issues. In addition, the report discusses recent activities and accomplishments of the many different initiatives that help protect the Great Waters from
pollutants deposited from the atmosphere.
The amendments also established research, reporting, and potential regulatory
requirements related to atmospheric deposition of HAPs (hazardous air pollutants) to
the “Great Waters. Title IV of these amendments established a program designed to
control emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Title IV called for a total
reduction of about 10 million tons of SO 2 emissions from power plants. It was
implemented in two phases. Phase I began in 1995 and limited sulfur dioxide
emissions from 110 of the largest power plants to a combined total of 8.7 million
tons of sulfur dioxide One power plant in New England (Merrimack) was in Phase
I. Four other plants (Newington, Mount Tom, Brayton Point, and Salem Harbor)
were added under other provisions of the program. Phase II began in 2000 and
affects most of the power plants in the country.
Emissions of nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide, generally called NO x , have
been reduced by a variety of programs required under the Clean Air Act. NO x is
emitted by anything burning fuel, such as power plants, large factories, automobiles,
trucks, and construction equipment.
7 Lake Restoration
285