Clean Air Interstate Rule
Stored: Clean Air Interstate Rule
| 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 Clean Air Interstate Rule aimed to reduce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from power plants in eastern states to improve air quality in downwind regions. It sought to protect public health and ecosystems by addressing interstate pollution transport through emissions trading. |
| Program Start | 2009 |
| Initial Funding | Congressional appropriations |
| Duration | 2009-2014 |
| Historic | No |
Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) was an Environmental Protection Agency initiative managed by the Clean Air Markets Division that reduced sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxide (NOₓ) emissions from over 3,000 power plants across 28 eastern states and the District of Columbia, achieving significant air quality improvements in downwind areas via a cap-and-trade system from 2009 until its replacement in 2014.
Finalized in 2005 to address ozone and fine particulate matter under the Clean Air Act’s Good Neighbor Provision, it was vacated by the D.C. Circuit in 2008 (North Carolina v. EPA), but temporarily reinstated until the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) succeeded it in 2011, fully phasing out CAIR by 2014 with over $1.9 billion in annual health benefits during its tenure. The Clean Air Interstate Rule has transitioned into the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR).
Goals
- Reduced SO₂ and NOₓ emissions to improve air quality in downwind states.[1]
- Protected public health by mitigating ozone and PM₂.₅ pollution from power plants.
- Achieved cost-effective emissions reductions through regional cap-and-trade systems.
Organization
The Clean Air Interstate Rule was sponsored by the Clean Air Markets Division (CAMD) within the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, under the Environmental Protection Agency.[2] Funding came from Congressional appropriations, supporting staff and the Clean Air Markets Program Data (CAMPD) system to manage allowance trading and compliance monitoring across 28 states, with coordination from state air agencies and power plant operators under Part 75 regulations.
The leader at the EPA level was the Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation, with oversight transitioning across appointees until its end in 2014.
History
The Clean Air Interstate Rule was established under the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, with its final rule issued on March 10, 2005, targeting interstate pollution from power plants.[3] It began implementation in 2009 after delays, but was vacated by the D.C. Circuit on July 11, 2008 (North Carolina v. EPA), for exceeding EPA authority, though reinstated temporarily on December 23, 2008, until CSAPR replaced it in 2011, fully phasing out by 2014. It reduced emissions by millions of tons, paving the way for CSAPR’s stricter framework.
Funding
Initial funding in 2009 came from Congressional appropriations within the EPA’s budget, though specific CAIR amounts were not isolated.[4] Funding began in 2009 and ended in 2014, with estimates of over $100 million annually during its run supporting trading and monitoring, concluding with CSAPR’s implementation. Costs were part of broader Clean Air Markets Program funding.
Implementation
The program was implemented through three cap-and-trade programs—SO₂ Annual, NOₓ Annual, and NOₓ Ozone Season—setting emissions caps for 28 states, with allowances traded and compliance tracked via CAMPD.[5] It operated from 2009 to 2014 with annual and seasonal cycles, enforced by continuous emissions monitoring, ending with CSAPR’s full adoption by December 31, 2014.
Related
External links
- https://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/clean-air-interstate-rule-cair-archive
- https://campd.epa.gov/ - Clean Air Markets Program Data
- https://www.epa.gov/csapr - CSAPR successor details
- wikipedia:Clean Air Interstate Rule
Social media
References
- ↑ "Clean Air Interstate Rule Overview," EPA, https://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/clean-air-interstate-rule-cair-archive, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "CAIR Structure," EPA, https://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/clean-air-interstate-rule-cair-archive, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "CAIR History," EPA, https://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/clean-air-interstate-rule-cair-archive, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "EPA Budget History," EPA, https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/budget, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "CAIR Implementation," EPA, https://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/clean-air-interstate-rule-cair-archive, accessed February 19, 2025.