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Title: Acid rain - A further look at the evidence

Abstract

There is widespread belief that acid rain is damaging lakes and forests in eastern North America, and that the threat of further damage is severe enough to warrant prompt remedial action. The cause of acid rain, hence ecological damage, is popularly held to be the sulfur dioxide (SO/sub 2/) and nitrogen oxides (NO/sub x/) created by the combustion of fossil fuels. This popular belief rests on a narrow selection of data, and is not substantiated by the broader body of knowledge which is available. Nevertheless, numerous bills have been introduced in Congress proposing large reductions in SO/sub 2/ emissions. For example, the first bill introduced in 1985 was S.52, ''The Acid Rain Control Act of 1985.'' It calls for reducing SO/sub 2/ emissions by 10 million tons annually. While the language of S.52 and similar bills is not specific on causes and effects of acid rain, the testimony before Congressional committees made it clear that the concerns focus on the actual or potential acidification of lakes and soils by acid rain, and actual or potential impacts of acid rain on fish, other aquatic life, trees, crops, and human health. This article assesses the merits of these contentions about acid rainmore » by examining technical evidence that relates SO/sub 2/ emissions to the acidity of rain to actual or potential environmental impacts.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
5222504
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Power Eng.; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 90:3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; ACID RAIN; ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS; RESEARCH PROGRAMS; SULFUR DIOXIDE; AIR POLLUTION MONITORING; ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY; EMISSION; PH VALUE; ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS; CHALCOGENIDES; CHEMISTRY; OXIDES; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; RAIN; SULFUR COMPOUNDS; SULFUR OXIDES; 500200* - Environment, Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)

Citation Formats

Katzenstein, A W. Acid rain - A further look at the evidence. United States: N. p., 1986. Web.
Katzenstein, A W. Acid rain - A further look at the evidence. United States.
Katzenstein, A W. 1986. "Acid rain - A further look at the evidence". United States.
@article{osti_5222504,
title = {Acid rain - A further look at the evidence},
author = {Katzenstein, A W},
abstractNote = {There is widespread belief that acid rain is damaging lakes and forests in eastern North America, and that the threat of further damage is severe enough to warrant prompt remedial action. The cause of acid rain, hence ecological damage, is popularly held to be the sulfur dioxide (SO/sub 2/) and nitrogen oxides (NO/sub x/) created by the combustion of fossil fuels. This popular belief rests on a narrow selection of data, and is not substantiated by the broader body of knowledge which is available. Nevertheless, numerous bills have been introduced in Congress proposing large reductions in SO/sub 2/ emissions. For example, the first bill introduced in 1985 was S.52, ''The Acid Rain Control Act of 1985.'' It calls for reducing SO/sub 2/ emissions by 10 million tons annually. While the language of S.52 and similar bills is not specific on causes and effects of acid rain, the testimony before Congressional committees made it clear that the concerns focus on the actual or potential acidification of lakes and soils by acid rain, and actual or potential impacts of acid rain on fish, other aquatic life, trees, crops, and human health. This article assesses the merits of these contentions about acid rain by examining technical evidence that relates SO/sub 2/ emissions to the acidity of rain to actual or potential environmental impacts.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5222504}, journal = {Power Eng.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 90:3,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1986},
month = {Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1986}
}