Mr. SYNAR. Again, thank you, Bill, for coming this morning and 

 getting this hearing started. 



On our first panel this morning are Bernice Steinhardt, Mr. 

 McGee, and Mr. Everett from the General Accounting Office, and 

 Professor Warren White from Washington University in St. Louis. 



It is the policy of this subcommittee in order not to prejudice past 

 or future witnesses that we swear all our witnesses in. 



Professor White would like to be affirmed versus sworn in, so if 

 you would all rise. 



Do you first of all have any objections to being sworn in? 



If not, raise your right hand. 



Do you solemnly affirm that the testimony you are about to give 

 is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? 



[Witnesses affirmed.] 



Mr. Synar. Well, welcome back, Ms. Steinhardt. 



Ms. Steinhardt. Thank you very much. 



Mr. Synar. We are glad to have you here. 



This is your solo run this time. 



Ms. Steinhardt. Well, I am joined by Mr. McGee. 



Mr. Synar. I will be nice. 



How is that? 



I will be semi-nice. 



Your entire testimony will be made a part of the record. And at 

 this time we would ask you to summarize. We are glad to have you 

 back. 



Henry, do you have an opening statement? 



Mr. Waxman. No. 



Mr. Synar. Ms. Steinhardt. 



STATEMENT OF BERNICE STEINHARDT, ASSOCIATE DIREC- 

 TOR, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ISSUES, RESOURCES, 

 COMMUNITY, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION, U.S. 

 GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE, ACCOMPANIED BY WBL- 

 LIAM F. McGEE, CPA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR; AND PROFES- 

 SOR HARRY C. EVERETT, RALEIGH, NC 



Ms. Steinhardt. Thank you very much. 



Good morning, Mr. Synar, Mr. dinger, and Mr. Waxman. We ap- 

 preciate the opportunity to be here today to talk about our review 

 of Federal and State efforts to address visibility in the national 

 parks and wilderness areas. As you know, 4 years ago, we reported 

 to you that the prevention of significant deterioration program or 

 the PSD program under the Clean Air Act was not very effective 

 in protecting the air quality of these treasured areas. With the pas- 

 sage of the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments, the Congress added 

 some new features to help remedy the problems faced by our parks 

 and wilderness areas, and you asked us to see what effect these 

 measures have had. 



Today, I will tell you that despite some progress since our last 

 report to you, visibility in parks and wilderness areas is still a seri- 

 ous problem. First, the PSD program and other Clean Air Act pro- 

 visions to control pollution from individual sources near these pro- 

 tected areas, called class I areas, have had only a limited impact. 



As you know, the PSD program requires facilities locating in 

 clean air areas to meet strict emission limits and to install the best 



