The EPA and Clean Air Act · US History

The Clean Air Act of 1970 authorized the EPA to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to regulate:

  1. The maximum retail price of gasoline sold at the pump
  2. Common air pollutants that harm public health and the environment
  3. The exact number of private cars allowed on public roads each year
  4. The planning and construction of new interstate highway systems
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Correct answer: Common air pollutants that harm public health and the environment

The NAAQS targeted 'criteria pollutants' such as particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and lead. This shifted the burden of proof to polluters and established federal oversight over air quality for the first time.

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