I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 25
To reduce acid deposition under the Clean Air Act, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 3, 2001
Mr. SWEENEY (for himself, Mr. BOEHLERT, and Mr. MCHUGH) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
A BILL
To reduce acid deposition under the Clean Air Act, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Acid Rain Control
Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—
(1) reductions of atmospheric nitrogen oxide
and sulfur dioxide from utility plants, in addition to
the reductions required under the Clean Air Act (42
U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), are needed to reduce acid dep-
osition and its serious adverse effects on public
health, natural resources, building structures, sen-
sitive ecosystems, and visibility;
(2) nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide contribute
to the development of fine particulates, suspected of
causing human mortality and morbidity to a signifi-
cant extent;
(3) regional nitrogen oxide reductions of 50
percent in the Eastern United States, in addition to
the reductions required under the Clean Air Act,
may be necessary to protect sensitive watersheds
from the effects of nitrogen deposition;
(4) without reductions in nitrogen oxide and
sulfur dioxide, the number of acidic lakes in the Adi-
rondacks in the State of New York is expected to in-
crease by up to 40 percent by 2040; and
(5) nitrogen oxide is highly mobile and can lead
to ozone formation hundreds of miles from the emit-
ting source.
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to recognize the current scientific under-
standing that emissions of nitrogen oxide and sulfur
dioxide, and the acid deposition resulting from emis-
sions of nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide, present a
substantial human health and environmental risk;
(2) to require reductions in nitrogen oxide and
sulfur dioxide emissions;
(3) to support the efforts of the Ozone Trans-
port Assessment Group to reduce ozone pollution;
(4) to reduce utility emissions of nitrogen oxide
by 70 percent from 1990 levels; and
(5) to reduce utility emissions of sulfur dioxide
by 50 percent after the implementation of phase II
sulfur dioxide requirements under section 405 of the
Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7651d).
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency.
(2) AFFECTED FACILITY.—The term ‘‘affected
facility’’ means a facility with 1 or more combustion
units that serve at least 1 electricity generator with
a capacity equal to or greater than 25 megawatts.
(3) NOx ALLOWANCE.—The term ‘‘NOx allow-
ance’’ means a limited authorization under section
4(3) to emit, in accordance with this Act, quantities
of nitrogen oxide.
(4) MMBTU.—The term ‘‘mmBtu’’ means
1,000,000 British thermal units.
(5) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘Program’’ means
the Nitrogen Oxide Allowance Program established
under section 4.
(6) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the 48
contiguous States and the District of Columbia.
SEC. 4. NITROGEN OXIDE ALLOWANCE PROGRAM.
(a) IN GENERAL.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 18
months after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Administrator shall establish a program to be known
as the ‘‘Nitrogen Oxide Allowance Program’’.
(2) SCOPE.—The Program shall be conducted
in the 48 contiguous States and the District of Co-
lumbia.
(3) NOx ALLOWANCES.—
(A) 
ALLOCATION.—The 
Administrator
shall allocate under paragraph (4)—
(i) for each of calendar years 2004
through 2006, a sufficient number of NOx
allowances to reduce utility emission of
NOx by 56 percent from 1990 levels; and
(ii) for calendar year 2007 and each
calendar year thereafter, a sufficient num-