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Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR)
Notice
On July 11, 2008, the D.C. Circuit vacated EPA's Clean Air Interstate Rule. EPA is reviewing the Court's decisions and evaluating its impacts.
Read the Court's Opinion (PDF) (60pp, 221k)
On March 10, 2005, EPA issued the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR). This rule provides states with a solution to the problem of power plant pollution that drifts from one state to another. CAIR covers 28 eastern states and the District of Columbia. The rule uses a cap and trade system to reduce the target pollutants—sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx)—by 70 percent.
States must achieve the required emission reductions using one of two compliance options: (1) meet the state’s emission budget by requiring power plants to participate in an EPA-administered interstate cap and trade system that caps emissions in two stages, or (2) meet an individual state emissions budget through measures of the state’s choosing.
A closely related action is the Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) that requires coal-fired electric utilities to reduce their emissions of mercury.
More Information
For technical information and rulemaking details, visit EPA’s Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) Web site.
See also:
- CAIR and CAMR Implementation Training Workshops
- Frequent Questions
- Reports and Analyses
- Notice of Data Availability (NODA) -- NOx CAIR FIP Allocations
- Part 75 Certification Administrative Processes for CAIR NOx Units PDF (6 pp. 146 KB)
- Monitor Certification Procedures for CAIR NOx Units PDF (12 pp. 165 KB)
- Questions and Answers Concerning Non-EGUs Transitioning from the NOx Budget Trading Program to the CAIR NOx Program PDF (3 pp. 18 KB)
- EPA Rulemaking Actions on State's CAIR SIP Submissions
- CAIR Applicability Determinations