The Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board approved air regulations that will reduce
power plant and industrial boiler nitrogen oxide emissions by 75 percent of 1990 levels.
Facilities have to meet a cap of 50,000 tons per year by 2003. There are incentives for
facilities that reduce emissions earlier and that reductions in nitrogen oxide, heavy metals and sulfur dioxide. Pennsylvania calls on states in the Midwest and South to do the same since it can’t control emissions coming from other states.
For some perspective on the quantity of emissions to be reduced through this regulation,
the EPA just inked a deal with BP Amoco and the Koch Petroleum Group as part of their
flexible enforcement program. According to the EPA, the agreements are the largest to
date for clean air reached with companies from the petroleum refining industry. By 2004,
the companies will eliminate 49,000 tons of nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emissions
annually from 12 refineries. BP Amoco is expected to spend over $500 million on
pollution-control technologies and eco-efficiency improvements; Koch Petroleum Group
will invest as much as $80 million at three refineries.
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