New York announces “most stringent” acid rain rules
New York State’s environmental board adopted the nations most stringent anti-acid rain rules on March 26, 2003. The rules require all electric generators statewide to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide over a three-year period.
Nitrogen oxide emissions must be reduced by 20,000 tons a year beginning October 2004 and sulfur dioxide emissions must be reduced by 130,000 tons per year beginning January 2005. These emission levels are 50 percent lower than required by Federal Clean Air Act rules.
The decision has caused much discussion since they were proposed in February 2002. Many suggested that there would be little effect because most of the problem in New York comes from electricity generators in the Midwest. There is also some controversy over how much these measures will affect the state electric rates.
http://www.pollutionengineering.com/archives/2003/0503/0503_News.htm