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• multipollutant

National air quality policies have sharply accelerated the switch from coal to natural gas by utilities, while other environmental policies have restricted natural gas supplies. The chemical industry and other manufacturers are suffering plant shutdowns and loss of global competitiveness due to our country’s shortage of affordable natural gas.

Dramatic improvement in our Nation’s air quality over the past 30 years has been a significant accomplishment for all stakeholders. To further these efforts for the next generation, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) supports passage of multi-pollutant legislation that will achieve significant air quality improvements while slowing the electric utilities’ shift from coal to natural gas. This will secure a more stable, diverse and sustainable supply of affordable energy for all consumers.

In the early years of the Clean Air Act, command and control approaches to reducing air emissions proved successful and at a tolerable cost. Continued ratcheting down on control requirements now provides smaller emission reductions at much higher cost. Innovative cap and trade programs allow the market system to work – providing incentives for sources to buy and sell emission credits and reductions emissions in a very cost-effective manner, while meeting all environmental goals. This approach has proven effective in the acid rain trading program and marks the next generation of affordable mechanisms to meet our environmental standards.