Progress Reports

Power Sector Programs – Progress Report

Under the Clean Air Act, EPA implements several regulations that affect power plants, including the Acid Rain Program (ARP), the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) and the CSAPR Update, and the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS). These programs require fossil fuel-fired electric generating units to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), and hazardous air pollutants including mercury (Hg) to protect human health and the environment. This reporting year marks the fourth year of CSAPR implementation, the second year of the CSAPR Update implementation, the twenty-third year of the ARP, and the second year of MATS implementation in which the majority of sources were required to report emissions for the full year. This report summarizes annual progress through 2018, highlighting data that EPA systematically collects on emissions for all four programs, on compliance, and environmental effects for the ARP and CSAPR. Transparency and data availability are a hallmark of these programs, and a cornerstone of their success.

Sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and hazardous air pollutants, including mercury, are fossil fuel combustion byproducts that affect public health and the environment. SO₂ and NOₓ, and their sulfate and nitrate byproducts, are transported and deposited as acid rain at levels harmful to sensitive ecosystems in many areas of the country. These pollutants also contribute to the formation of fine particles (sulfates and nitrates) and ground level ozone that are associated with significant human health effects and regional haze. Atmospheric mercury deposition accumulates in fish to levels of concern for human health and the health of fish-eating wildlife.

The Acid Rain Program, CSAPR, CSAPR Update and MATS have delivered substantial reductions in power sector emissions of SO₂, NOₓ, and hazardous air pollutants, along with significant improvements in air quality and the environment. In addition to the demonstrated reductions achieved by the power sector emission control programs described in this report, SO₂, NOₓ, and hazardous air pollutant emissions have declined steadily in recent years due to a variety of power industry trends that are expected to continue.