The Acid Rain Program's goal is to achieve a reduction in the amount of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides released to the atmosphere from power plants. These pollutants play a large role in the formation of acid rain. There are no known direct human health effects from acid rain.
Acid rain does have a harmful effect on aquatic animals.
It can also be harmful to essential soil bacteria. The total sulfur dioxide emissions for all affected power plants in the nation has been limited to 9.4 million tons every year. That amount is 10 million tons less than the total emissions of sulfur dioxide in 1980. In 1993, U.S. EPA allocated a certain amount of sulfur dioxide emissions to each power plant regulated by Phase II of the Acid Rain Program. Emissions of nitrogen oxides are being reduced by at least 2 million tons per year, by setting limits on the emission rate of nitrogen oxides from coal-fired power plant boilers.