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Clean Air Act Goals: Improved Air Quality and Healthier Environment
The Clean Air Act of 1970 and federal regulations set standards to improve the nation’s air quality. Clean air helps people breathe more easily and curbs air-related health impacts.

The Clean Air Act and regulations established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set limits on the emission of certain pollutants for states and regions of the country. These pollutants include NO_x, a precursor of ground-level ozone and smog; SO₂, which produces acid rain; particulate matter, such as smoke and dust; and mercury. The emissions come from several sources, such as industry, fossil fuel power plants and automobiles. They are not produced by nuclear power plants.

Besides the health impacts of elevated emissions, states that do not meet federal clean air standards face economic consequences. The federal government can penalize states that do not meet federal emissions standards in ways that could affect the economy and jobs. For instance, the EPA could restrict environmental permits for new industrial activities, which could cause businesses to locate elsewhere.

Alternatively, the EPA could withhold environmental permits for new coal- or gas-fired power plants to meet growing electricity demand, which could result in less reliable electricity supply and higher electricity rates. That, in turn, could cause businesses to locate elsewhere. Further, the federal government could limit funds for highways and other important services, which could result in the need to increase state and local taxes.

Nuclear Energy Helps Meet Electricity Demand While Keeping the Air Clean
Nuclear energy has played an important role by reducing air pollution while meeting increased demand for electricity. Since 1990, nuclear power generation has increased by more than 35 percent and has helped meet demand for more electricity by consumers in dozens of states.

The nuclear energy industry achieved this rise in electrical output mostly by increasing the efficiency of existing plants. The additional electricity generated is the equivalent of adding 27 new nuclear power plants to our nation’s grid. However, these plants are operating at record efficiency levels and additional increases would be difficult. To achieve further significant reductions in air pollutants, the operating licenses for these plants must be renewed and new nuclear power plants must be built.

Since 2000, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has renewed the operating licenses for nearly half of the nation’s reactors. In addition, more than a dozen consortia and companies have announced plans to seek licenses for more than 30 new reactors.

The Nuclear Energy Institute estimates that because of increased demand for electricity, it would take 35,000 megawatts of new nuclear power by 2030 to maintain nuclear’s current 20 percent share of total generation. The United States may need even more to meet increasingly stringent clean-air requirements. Congress and other policymakers should consider the environmental benefits of nuclear energy in future clean-air legislation in view of its critical role in keeping emissions low today and in meeting new requirements. This is essential to the health of the nation’s cities and citizens.

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