Acid test for Congress

Journal Article · · Regulation; (United States)

OSTI ID:6120103

Crandall, R W

A review of the political aspects of past air pollution legislation helps to explain the current legislative logjam in this area. The two key bills in the 98th Congress tried to lessen the impact of controls on the dirty-coal states, but left (quite properly) most of the burden on those states. Neither bill efficiently distributed the burden among the states on the basis of proximity of the endangered lakes and forests of the Northeast. Virtually any sensible acid rain legislation must increase electricity rates and reduce coal output in those states that form the dirty coal/clean air coalition. It is unlikely that the coalition will reassemble to reduce midwestern emissions because lawmakers are unlikely to vote to pay the cost of alleviating someone else's problem. 8 references, 1 figure, 2 tables.

• Research Organization: Brookings Institution, Washington, DC
• OSTI ID: 6120103
• Journal Information: Regulation; (United States), Journal Name: Regulation; (United States); ISSN REGUD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
294001 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Coal
500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
CONTROL
COOPERATION
ECONOMIC IMPACT
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
LEGISLATION
MATERIALS
POLITICAL ASPECTS
POLLUTION CONTROL
RAIN
REGIONAL COOPERATION