Regulatory reform in air-pollution control

Journal Article · · Resources; (United States)

OSTI ID:5908054

Tietenberg, T

The enormity of the regulator's task in defining Clean Air Act standards becomes clear when one realizes that the typical industrial facility contains many discharge points, with some facilities having more than one hundred. The emissions-trading program attempts to make this approach more flexible by allowing polluters more options in meeting their assigned control responsibilities. The general thrust of the program is to allow polluters to seek alternative, cheaper means of reducing emissions so long as the substitute has an equivalent, or better, effect on air quality. Specifically, any source reducing its emissions further at any discharge point than that required by law may apply to have this excess reduction certified as an emission reduction credit. Once certified, the credit may be applied to other discharge points or may be sold to other sources. The conditions under which these credits can be created, stored, transferred, and used are defined by the bubble, offset, banking, and netting components of the emissions-trading program, as described below. The author proceeds to discuss each of these.

• Research Organization: Colby College, Waterville, ME
• OSTI ID: 5908054
• Journal Information: Resources; (United States), Journal Name: Resources; (United States) Vol. 79; ISSN RESUB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
AMENDMENTS
CLEAN AIR ACT
CONTROL
ENFORCEMENT
LAWS
MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POLLUTION CONTROL
POLLUTION LAWS
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
REGULATIONS
US EPA
US ORGANIZATIONS