Air Quality Issues Before Congress
Amending the Clean Air Act
Despite steady improvements in air quality in many of the United States’ most polluted cities, the goal of clean air continues to elude the Nation: 107 areas with a combined population of 97.8 million were classified as "nonattainment" for one or more of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) as of December 2002. Two pollutants account for the vast majority of nonattainment areas: ozone — 36 areas with 85.5 million people; and particulate matter (PM) — 61 areas with 24.9 million people. Thirty-nine areas with 18.4 million people have failed to achieve standards for carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, or…
