Clean Air Markets Program
Stored: Clean Air Markets 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 | Clean Air Markets Program uses market-based rules to cut power plant pollution, improving health and environment by reducing sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides via trading. |
| Program Start | 1990 |
| Initial Funding | Congressional appropriations |
| Duration | Ongoing |
| Historic | No |
Clean Air Markets Program (CAMP) is an Environmental Protection Agency initiative led by the Clean Air Markets Division (CAMD) that reduces air pollution from power plants through emissions trading programs, achieving significant declines in sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) emissions—94% and 85% below historic levels by 2021—across the United States to protect public health and ecosystems.
Encompassing efforts like the Acid Rain Program (ARP) since 1995 and the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) since 2015, it leverages cap-and-trade mechanisms, managing data for over 3,000 facilities via the Clean Air Markets Program Data (CAMPD) system, with ongoing adaptations like the Good Neighbor Plan in 2023 enhancing its impact as of 2025.
Goals
- Reduce power plant emissions of SO₂ and NOₓ to improve air quality and public health.[1]
- Achieve cost-effective emissions reductions through market-based trading, targeting compliance across regulated sources.
- Protect ecosystems from acid rain and interstate pollution, supporting NAAQS attainment.
Organization
The Clean Air Markets Program was sponsored by the Clean Air Markets Division (now Clean Air and Power Division) within the EPA’s Office of Atmospheric Protection, under the Environmental Protection Agency, coordinating with 13 states and industry stakeholders.[2] Funding came from Congressional appropriations, supporting a staff managing emissions trading, allowance allocation, and data systems like CAMPD, with oversight from EPA regional offices and collaboration with state air agencies. It integrated programs like ARP, CSAPR, and the Good Neighbor Plan under a unified framework.
The leader at the EPA level is the Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation, currently Joseph Goffman (as of February 19, 2025).
History
The Clean Air Markets Program was established under the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush, launching the Acid Rain Program as its first nationwide emissions trading effort in 1995.[3] It expanded with the NOx Budget Trading Program (2003), Clean Air Interstate Rule (2009-2014), and CSAPR (2015), with key updates like the Revised CSAPR Update (2021) and Good Neighbor Plan (2023), evolving from ARP’s success to address broader interstate pollution by 2025, delivering over $3 trillion in health benefits.
Funding
Initial funding in 1990 came from Congressional appropriations, though specific CAMP allocations were part of broader EPA budgets.[4] Funding began in 1990 and continues, with FY 2023 supporting ongoing programs like CSAPR at over $100 million annually within EPA’s $10 billion budget, supplemented by compliance penalties and state contributions. There’s no funding end date, with annual appropriations sustaining efforts like the 2025 Good Neighbor Plan expansion.
Implementation
The program was implemented through emissions trading systems, setting caps on SO₂ and NOₓ emissions, with allowances traded via the Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET) and CAMPD, enforced by continuous monitoring at over 3,000 facilities.[5] It operates continuously, adapting with rules like the 2023 Good Neighbor Plan for 23 states, with no end date, focusing on power sector compliance and air quality improvement in 2025.
Related
External links
- https://www.epa.gov/power-sector
- https://campd.epa.gov/ - Clean Air Markets Program Data
- https://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/acid-rain-program - Acid Rain Program details
- wikipedia:Clean Air Act (United States)
Social media
References
- ↑ "Clean Air Markets Program Overview," EPA, https://www.epa.gov/power-sector/clean-air-power-sector-programs, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Clean Air Markets Division," EPA, https://www.epa.gov/power-sector, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Clean Air Markets History," EPA, https://www.epa.gov/power-sector/clean-air-power-sector-programs, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Clean Air Markets Funding," EPA, https://www.epa.gov/power-sector/programs-progress, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Clean Air Markets Implementation," EPA, https://www.epa.gov/power-sector/data-tools, accessed February 19, 2025.