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Cars, trucks, buses, equipment, factories, power plants, and businesses all contribute to air pollution. The Clean Air Act allows EPA, working with its state and local partners, to place limits on pollution from these and other sources of pollution.
- Current Air Quality - EPA works with state and local agencies to monitor the current quality of the air and forecast the future air trends. All monitoring data is made available to the public.
- Planning for Clean Air - EPA identifies areas with poor air quality and requires states to develop plans to clean up those areas.
- Air Quality Regulations - EPA develops national regulations which must be met by industries in order to ensure clean air for the general public. In addition states and tribes have the authority to develop their own as long as the regulations are at least as stringent as federal regulations.
- Motor Vehicles and Diesel-Powered Equipment - Motor vehicles and other equipment are a significant source of air pollution. EPA regulates emission control systems on vehicles and advocates for innovative voluntary emission reduction programs.
- Hazardous Air Pollutants (Air Toxics) - The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 created the term "hazardous air pollutants" (HAPs) and added a specific list of air pollutants to the Clean Air Act at Section 112(b). These pollutants are also referred to as "air toxics." Currently, there are 187 HAPs, some of which are groups of pollutants, such as chromium compounds. EPA regulates HAPs using emissions control standards. Since there are no National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to be achieved for these pollutants, we speak in terms of risk and comparisons to health-protective toxicity values, screening levels, reference concentrations, rather than comparisons to air quality standards. Note that efforts under way to achieve air quality standards for the seven NAAQS pollutants and to decrease emissions from mobile sources often reduce emissions of HAPs, as well. This is especially true for ozone, particulate matter, lead, and the pollutants referred to as "mobile source air toxics." Visit the Technology Transfer Network
Air Toxics Website for more information about EPA's programs for HAPs.
- 2005 National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (2005 NATA) Results for Region 2 - Tips on accessing and using the 2005 NATA results and a view of what they show for Region 2 States. EPA's National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment is a model-based assessment of human health risk resulting from breathing outdoor air over a lifetime. The "2005" refers to the year 2005 emissions inventory--the most recent comprehensive inventory of air toxics emissions from all types of sources.
- Air Toxics Studies in Region 2 - Links to studies conducted in Region 2 locations. Most of the studies are funded in part or whole by EPA grants and cooperative agreements, often competitively awarded. This provides many examples of studies over the years, but it is not a comprehensive list.
- Air Toxics Risk Prevention and Risk Reduction Programs
- 2005 National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (2005 NATA) Results for Region 2 - Tips on accessing and using the 2005 NATA results and a view of what they show for Region 2 States. EPA's National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment is a model-based assessment of human health risk resulting from breathing outdoor air over a lifetime. The "2005" refers to the year 2005 emissions inventory--the most recent comprehensive inventory of air toxics emissions from all types of sources.
