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That goal is the prevention of future, and the remedying of existing, visibility 

 impairment in class I federal areas caused by manmade pollution. 



EPA has also undertaken several efforts to address difficulties that have 

 arisen when certain new, relatively well-controlled sources in the Eastern U.S. have 

 attempted to obtain start-up permits near class I areas with the largest amount of 

 visibility impairment and other damage to air quality related values. First, EPA has 

 formed a subcommittee of its Federal Clean Air Act Advisory Committee to review 

 issues related to reform of the new source permitting process under the existing 

 prevention of significant deterioration regulations. This subcommittee is comprised 

 of officials from EPA, the National Park Service, the Forest Service, several 

 industry groups, environmental groups, and states. Several subgroups of the 

 subcommittee are reviewing issues raised by federal land managers and others 

 related to the permitting of major sources near class I areas. Among other 

 strategies, these subgroups have examined ways to promote earlier coordination 

 and consultation between the federal land managers and the states. In addition, 

 one subgroup of this subcommittee is looking at alternative programs to address 

 the impact of existing sources on class I areas in a way that would accommodate 

 emissions from new sources. EPA has also cooperated in forming the Southern 

 Appalachian Mountains Initiative (SAMI) to address visibility and other air quality 

 concerns of class I and nearby areas. Supported by EPA grant funds, SAMI was 

 officially formed in November 1 993 to address ozone, visibility and acidic 

 deposition concerns in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Shenandoah 

 National Park and James River Face Wilderness and surrounding areas. The 

 Initiative brings together states (Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South 

 Carolina, Alabama, Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia), federal agencies and 

 representatives from industry and environmental groups to study the technical and 

 policy aspects of protecting the parks and wilderness areas. Currently, SAMI is 

 developing a work plan to guide its technical assessment and policy development. 

 I strongly support this voluntary, regionally-based effort and will be addressing the 



