Global Warming and Acid Rain have similar origins. The researchers looked at acidic deposition in North America and Europe. They found that all regions in Europe were experiencing some recovery. However, the only region in North America to experience chemical recovery was the Vermont-Quebec region. This means that Vermont is beginning to see positive effects from the 1990 Clean Air Act.
Progress has yet to be made on lowering nitrogen oxides, a more powerful acid than sulfates.
Additional reductions in sulfur and nitrogen oxide emissions are needed before Vermont sees an improvement in the pH of its waters. To date, there has been no measurable improvement in the biological communities of Vermont's acidic lakes. Lakes that are most sensitive to acid rain are small, at high elevation, and located in areas with low buffering bedrock. The majority of Vermont's sensitive lakes are found in remote and undeveloped regions of the Green Mountains and pockets in the Northeast Kingdom. Most of our highly acidic lakes are found in the southern Green Mountains.