Air Pollution Agencies

With one exception, regulating mobile sources of air pollution is the sole responsibility of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The one exception is California, which can obtain waivers to establish its own standards. In contrast, permits to construct or modify major stationary sources of air pollution, e.g., power plants and refineries, can be issued by the EPA, a state, or a local agency. Beginning in 2011, the EPA began regulating greenhouse gases from both mobile and stationary sources. GHGs from a stationary source are subject to regulation if they reach a threshold defined by EPA.

Here is the Clean Air Act Overview at the EPA’s website, which is a useful resource: https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview.

And here is a link to EPA’s summary of how the Clean Air Act can be used to limit Greenhouse Gas emissions: https://www.epa.gov/nsr/clean-air-act-permitting-greenhouse-gases

Each state can develop and implement plans (known as SIPs, or state implementation plans) to comply with clean air standards established by federal legislation. (https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-air-act). Thus, by establishing rules and issuing permits, states regulate emissions from businesses and stationary facilities, ranging from oil refineries to auto body shops and dry cleaners.

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