Environmental Law, Air Pollution Permits - Essay Example

Environmental Law, Air Pollution Permits Question Air pollution is the contamination of the atmosphere by harmful gases.It causes severe complications to the chest and lungs due to the high concentration of harmful gases. The bubble concept for pollution control is best portrayed as a glass bubble over a single source of air pollution. Therefore, the thinking goes that a facility may increase the amount of its gas emissions if another facility decreases its emissions by the same amount or percentage.

The bubble concept is best defined as a pollution control system which allows comprehensive measurements of allowable emissions, for a group of pollutants. Whenever a directive relating to emission principles or other requirements is adopted, it provides for the compliance with standards no later than the specified date (Theodore, 2008).Cap and trade is an ecological policy tool that delivers results with an obligatory cap on emissions while providing flexibility on how they comply. Successful cap and trade programs reward efficiency, innovation and environmental responsibility without infringing on economic growth.

Examples of cap and trade programs consist of the acid rain program and the budget training program. This program is also known as emissions trading. These two programs differ in several ways. They include, the cap and trade program involves the purchasing of emission credits while the bubble program entails the controlled emissions with breaking any of the agreements incurs heavy fines. The use of emission trading has enhanced the achievement of environmental goals. Some skeptics have suggested that emissions’ trading has become an avenue for evading environmental requirements, while the bubble program enhances the achievement of environmental goals (Schaltegger, 2010).

Question 2A stationary source is the basis that discharges more amounts of pollutants other than those defined by the Environmental Agency that protects the environment. This organization is in charge of regulating and monitoring of pollution. New Source Performance Standards define the amount of pollutants allowed by certain sources. A stationary source of air pollution is any fixed emitter of air pollutants. They include power plants, petroleum refineries and petrochemical plants (Reitze, 2005).

Mobile source air pollution is any form of air pollution emitted by equipment that can be moved from one location to another. They include motor vehicles, airplanes, locomotives and other engine driven machines. Most of these pollutants contribute to environmental degradation and have a harmful effect on human health. Due to the large number of vehicles, air pollution increases due to their ability to move from place to place, it has become hard to regulate them. With individuals buying vehicles every day, the U.

S Environment Protection Agency has resorted to dealing directly with the organizations to help come up with ways of reducing harmful emissions from vehicles. Since stationary sources do not move, they are easier to manage. For example, a power plant can reduce its emissions and sustain it over a period of time (AQM, 2004)Question 3Prevention of significant deterioration also known as (PSD) applies to the new major sources or major modifications at existing sources for pollutants. The area, the source, is located is the attainable unclassifiable with the national ambient air quality standards.

It requires the following, It requires the following, air quality analysis, public involvement, additional impact analysis and the installation of the best available control technology. Its main purpose is to protect, preserve, and improve the air quality in parks and wilderness areas, national monuments, and seashores. It ensures that a financial increase will occur in a method consistent with the conservation of existing clean air resources.’ It protects the public health welfares. ReferencesTheodore, L. (2008). Air pollution control equipment calculations.

Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.Schaltegger, S., & Burritt, R. (2010). Contemporary environmental accounting: Issues, concepts and practice. Sheffield: Greenleaf. Reitze, A. W., & Environmental Law Institute. (2005). Stationary source air pollution law. Washington, D. C: Environmental Law Institute.Air Quality management in the United States. (2004). Washington, DC: National Academies Press.