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Causes
When sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) are released into
the air, they usually cause acid rain. Most of these pollutants come
from coal combustion in power plants and industrial areas. Once out in
the atmosphere, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react with moisture
to create sulfuric acid and nitric acid. These acids become acid rain
which hurts soil, forests, plants, water bodies and can also harm
people.
- The article reports that the biggest contributors to acid rain in the Midwestern U.S. are the coal-burning power plants there. They produce much sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide which get carried through the winds across the border to Canada.
- The problem with cross-boundary pollution is that the areas impacted usually aren’t responsible for the emissions, so holding people accountable is not easy.
Acid rain is especially linked to coal use in Ohio, West Virginia,
Illinois and Michigan. The province of Ohio did not join a key
conference with Canadian provinces about acid rain which made others
worry about how it would participate in pollution control activities. At
the same time, New York and Pennsylvania—places that suffer due to the
environment—have sought to create tougher federal laws and cooperate
more with other states to lower emissions.
Critics have said that federal work under the Clean Air Act over the
last decade has not been effective. Commissioner Robert F. Flacke
pointed out that, despite having done the EPA petitions, only few of
them actually reduced pollution or brought significant improvements.
Therefore, people are requesting more federal legislation and the
opening of interstate mediation panels to solve the problem more
efficiently.
Ontario’s Environment Minister is considering a chemical tracer study
which would cost $10 million, to establish the origins of pollution
better. This study focuses on finding where sulfur dioxide and nitrogen
oxides originate using advanced monitoring tools. Experts believe it
will be conducted together by officials from both the U.S. and Canada,
industry specialists and environmental researchers. The outcomes will
contribute to making plans that lower emissions and tackle acid rain.