ENVIRO-NEWS

EPA Launches Blog on Acid Rain

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Makuch, Joseph" <Joseph.Makuch@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Apr 8, 2010 3:08 PM
Subject: [ENVIRO-NEWS] EPA Launches Blog on Acid Rain
To: <Enviro-News@nal.usda.gov>

From: U.S. EPA [mailto:usaepa@govdelivery.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2010 2:51 PM
Subject: Air News Release (HQ): EPA Launches Blog on Acid Rain

CONTACT:
Cathy Milbourn
milbourn.cathy@epa.gov
202-564-7849
202-564-4355

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2010



EPA Launches Blog on Acid Rain

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is hosting a
month-long online discussion to expand the conversation on acid rain.
Acid rain is a serious environmental problem that affects large parts of
the United States and is particularly damaging to lakes, streams, and
forests and the plants and animals that live in these ecosystems. Sulfur
dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), the pollutants that form acid
rain, can cause serious respiratory illnesses and premature death.

Starting today, EPA is posting daily blogs to inform and engage the
public in an interactive Web discussion. Topics will include an overview
of acid rain and its effects, a description of the Acid Rain Program's
cap and trade policy, an explanation of how EPA monitors power plant
emissions, and how air and water quality monitoring data are used to
measure environmental improvements.

EPA established the Acid Rain Program 20 years ago under the 1990 Clean
Air Act Amendments and it requires major emission reductions of sulfur
dioxide SO2 and nitrogen oxide NOx from the electric power industry. The
program sets a permanent cap on the total amount of SO2 that may be
emitted by electric generating units in the United States, and includes
provisions for trading and banking allowances. Since the first year of
the program in 1995, SO2 and NOx emissions have each been cut by more
than 60 percent.

For the kickoff Greenversations blog: http://blog.epa.gov/blog/

For the rest of the blog series: http://blog.epa.gov/acidrain/

To follow the series on Facebook and Twitter:
www.facebook.com/EPAairmarkets and www.twitter.com/EPAairmarkets

R108
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