Document B54oZ2Zae8GkqqEQKg64GENGE

R&S 114970 96th Congress 1 lnt Srnnion j l1//CCAr7f d/?a<?5Y& ~ SENATE Document No. 96-38 Grc,. 0r/&$* THE COST OF CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN WATER ANNUAL REPORT * OF THE - ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES IN COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 312(c) OF THE CLEAN AIR ACT. AS AMENDED AND SECTION 516(b) OF THE FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ACT AMENDMENTS OF 1972 M-094 O DECEMBER 1979 U.s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON ; 1978 R&S 114971 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report to Congress is mandated by the Clean the most part, based on compliance with Federal Air and Water Acts. In both Acts, the Administrator Effluent Limitations Guidelines, New Source Per of the Environmental Protection Agency is di formance Standards, and Pretreatment Stan rected to make and report detailed estimates of dards. Regulations on hazardous and toxic pollu the costs of carrying out the respective Acts. This tants are also taken into account. report presents such estimates as two separate reports, one concerned with the control of air * This report was prepared in 1978, and reflects the pollution, the other with the control of water pollu regulatory framework in existence early in 1978. tion. This summary provides information on both Projections beyond past expenditures are subject reports and presents listings of "water costs", "air to change for both air and water. The Clean Air Act costs", and "combined costs". Amendments of 1977 contain significant changes that will affect future costs. The Clean Water Act of The estimates reported here are limited to costs 1977, amending the Federal Water Pollution Con associated with Federal regulatory actions result trol Act of 1972, also contains significant changes ing from the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, and that will affect the future regulatory picture and do not account for costs voluntarily incurred by the associated cost to industry. pollutors, required by State or local governments only, or mandated by other Federal laws. The esti In the case of air, some additional costs can be mates given here do not include costs incurred expected to comply with the revised State Imple prior to the dates of the respective Acts (Air-- mentation Plans and the provisions of Prevention 1970, Water--1972), nor is any estimate given of of Significant Deterioration and Visibility Goals. the expenditures which would have taken place if the Acts had not been passed. The reported projections for water pollution con trol costs are more difficult to assess. The Clean It should be noted that this document specifically Water Act of 1977 will require less stringent con does not dictate EPA policy with regard to the trols for conventional pollutants. However, the application of presently available or projected 1976 Consent Agreement may result in more emissions-control technology to any industry or stringent guidelines for the 21 industries covered activity. Simplifying assumptions were required in by the agreement. order to estimate the cost of complying with EPA regulations on the source industries included her----- The magnitude of these changes will vary consid ein. Thus, the control technologies assumed in erably on an industry-by-industry basis. An ex providing these estimates are not to be regarded treme example is the Explosives industry. The Cost as specifically required by law nor by EPA. More of Clean Water estimates show slightly over $2 over, the reader is cautioned that costs estimated billion of investment from 1977-1986. Prelimi in this study may differ from costs estimated in nary estimates emanating from the current BAT- other studies because of differences in definition review process indicate that new investment will of the industries. only be about $3-4 million for this industry. While this is not representative of the magnitude of the The costs reported for the control of air pollution changes to be expected, it does indicate the de are, for the most part, based on compliance with gree of uncertainty in the present estimates. Federally-approved State Implementation Plans, Therefore, the reader should keep in mind that the Federal New Source Performance Standards, and costs presented here represent only what indus Federal regulations for mobile sources. The costs tries would have had to pay if the regulations in reported for the control of water pollution are, for effect in early 1978 remained unchanged. in