Clearing the air at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Ecological Applications; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/1942000· OSTI ID:6855655

Shaver, C L; Tonnessen, K A; Maniero, T G ^[1]

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1. Air Quality Division, Denver, CO (United States)

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, located in the southern Appalachians on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, was designated by Congress in 1977 as a Class I area, where resources are to be protected from damage due to air pollution. The National Park Service, Air Quality Division, collected and then used data on levels of pollutants and response of sensitive resources in the park and found that forests, soils, surface waters, and visibility in the park were experiencing adverse impacts from air pollution. We reviewed the data and process that supported this finding as well as the legal tools available to federal land managers confronted with evidence that sources of air pollution outside the boundaries of Class I areas are affecting resources. We prepared this case study to describe how the National Park Service has used scientific information in regulatory arenas to address air pollution problems at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Based on this case study we show that the requirement for Federal Land Manager review of permits for new stationary sources of air pollution is not sufficient to protect the parks from what has become a regional air quality problem.

• OSTI ID: 6855655
• Journal Information: Ecological Applications; (United States), Journal Name: Ecological Applications; (United States) Vol. 4:4; ISSN 1051-0761; ISSN ECAPE7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
293000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
AIR QUALITY
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
CONTROL
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
LEGAL ASPECTS
MOUNTAINS
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION CONTROL
PUBLIC LANDS
RECREATIONAL AREAS
TENNESSEE
USA