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believe it is important to protect areas that currently have good air quality from the 

 influence of regional emissions. To address these concerns, I would like to review 

 programs already underway as well as plans for the next few years. 



Currently, EPA has many programs underway which help to protect and 

 improve air quality in parks and wilderness areas The Act provides for special air 

 quality protection for large national parks, national wilderness areas, and other 

 important natural areas, known as federal "class I" areas. The 1990 Amendments 

 to the Act, through efforts of the Chairman and others, specifically addressed 

 regional visibility protection for class I areas by 1 ) requiring a Report to Congress 

 on expected effects of the Clean Air Act Amendments on visibility in class I areas; 

 2) providing for additional technical studies and support; 3) calling for the 

 establishment of the Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Commission to examine the 

 need for further regulatory actions and report back to the EPA; and 4) based on 

 these studies, reports and other relevant information, directing the Administrator to 

 address regional haze regulations. 



The current program that will have the largest effect on air quality in class I 

 areas is the 1 million tons per year reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions under the 

 acid rain provisions. Recently promulgated rules under the acid rain program will 

 require a reduction of almost two million tons per year of nitrogen oxides 

 emissions. In the past year, EPA requirements have taken effect to reduce 

 particulate emissions from diesel engines and lower the sulfur content of diesel 

 fuel. These measures, as well as our new programs calling for improved smoke 

 management practices for reducing particulate matter emissions from prescribed 

 fires, will help to improve or maintain air quality in our class I areas. Over the past 

 three years, EPA has also issued a series of regulations requiring cleaner cars and 

 fuels, and has helped guide state implementation of new controls on stationary 

 sources to dramatically reduce emissions of the volatile organic compounds and 

 nitrogen oxides that cause ground-level ozone (smog). Ozone facilitates the 



