Acid Rain Program

Stored: Acid Rain Program

Acid Rain Program

Type	Program
Sponsor Organization	Clean Air Markets Division
Top Organization	Environmental Protection Agency
Creation Legislation	Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990
Website	Website
Purpose	The Acid Rain Program reduced sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from power plants to combat acid rain and improve air quality. It aimed to protect public health and ecosystems using a market-based cap-and-trade system.
Program Start	1995
Initial Funding	Congressional appropriations
Duration	Ongoing
Historic	No

Acid Rain Program (ARP) is an Environmental Protection Agency initiative managed by the Clean Air Markets Division that employs a cap-and-trade system to reduce sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxide (NOₓ) emissions from over 3,000 power generating units across the United States, achieving a 94% reduction in SO₂ emissions from 1980 levels by 2021 and continuing to safeguard ecosystems and public health as of 2025.

Launched in 1995 as the first nationwide emissions trading program, it sets annual emissions caps, allocates tradable allowances, and monitors compliance through the Clean Air Markets Program Data (CAMPD) system, delivering over $122 billion in annual health benefits while maintaining low-cost electricity generation.

Official Site

Goals

• Reduce SO₂ emissions by 50% below 1980 levels to mitigate acid rain effects.
• Lower NOₓ emissions to protect public health and ecosystems from acidification.
• Achieve cost-effective emissions reductions through market-based trading mechanisms.

Organization

The Acid Rain Program was sponsored by the Clean Air Markets Division (CAMD)—now part of the Clean Air and Power Division—within the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, under the Environmental Protection Agency. Funding came from Congressional appropriations, supporting staff and systems like CAMPD to manage allowance trading and continuous emissions monitoring for over 3,000 units, primarily coal-fired power plants, with oversight from EPA regional offices and state air agencies.

The leader at the EPA level is the Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation, currently Joseph Goffman (as of February 19, 2025).

History

The Acid Rain Program was established by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed into law on November 15, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush, initiating the first national cap-and-trade system under Title IV. It began Phase I in 1995, targeting major SO₂ emitters, and expanded in Phase II (2000) to include smaller plants, achieving its 8.95 million ton SO₂ cap by 2010. Key milestones include a 2005 rule integrating NOₓ reductions and ongoing refinements, with 2025 efforts focusing on maintaining gains amidst cleaner energy transitions.

Funding

Initial funding in 1995 came from Congressional appropriations, though specific ARP allocations were part of broader EPA budgets. Funding began in 1995 and continues within the EPA’s $10 billion FY 2023 budget, supporting monitoring and compliance for ARP, with annual appropriations covering staff and systems like CASTNET, and no end date as it sustains emissions reductions.

Implementation

The program was implemented through a cap-and-trade system, setting annual SO₂ and NOₓ emissions caps for power plants, with allowances traded via EPA-managed auctions and monitored by continuous emissions systems at over 3,000 units. It operates continuously with annual compliance cycles, leveraging CAMPD for data transparency, with no end date, adapting in 2025 to integrate with broader clean air strategies.

Related

• Clean Air Markets Program
• Cross-State Air Pollution Rule
• National Ambient Air Quality Standards

External links

• https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/acid-rain-program
• https://campd.epa.gov/ - Clean Air Markets Program Data
• https://www.epa.gov/power-sector - Clean Air and Power overview
• wikipedia:Acid Rain Program

Social media

• https://twitter.com/EPAair
• https://www.facebook.com/EPA