Air Pollution. Protecting Parks and Wilderness from Nearby Pollution Sources
Abstract
As requested the federal and state efforts to maintain clean air in national parks and wilderness areas were reviewed. The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977 authorized the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program. Among other stipulations, the PSD program required strict emission controls on major new stationary sources of air pollution that are located near the 158 national parks and wilderness areas designated by the amendments as Class I areas (national parks over 6,000 acres, national wilderness areas and memorial parks over 5,000 acres, and international parks.) Under the PSD program, states issuing construction permits are required to forward permit applications for facilities proposed within 100 kilometers, or about 60 miles, of Class I areas to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA, in turn, must notify the responsible federal land management agency. These agencies-the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service-are then required to review the applications. If found and demonstrated to the state, that the proposed facilities would adversely affect Class I areas, then the permits cannot be issued.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA280934
Entities
People
- Bernice Steinhardt
- Carol Ruchala
- Douglas Isabelle
- Peter F. Guerrero
- William Mcgee
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office