1967

 USA
     Air Quality Act - the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare was authorized to 
         create "air quality regions".  Individual states were told to create standards of 
         pollution control and enforce them within the regions.

   +:-one of the first air quality regulations in US, sparked interest in 
      preserving air quality by law.

   -:-assessing air quality by region does not work b/c pollution does not 
      remain in any specific region.
     -between 1967 and 1970, not even 3 dozen "regions" were created, with 
      an excess of 100 expected.  
     -Industry and Congress did not believe pollution control was necessary
     -No states created pollution control programs.

            http://www.epa.gov/history/topics/caa70/11.htm

1970 (EPA created)

 USA
     Clean Air Act  - rewrite of the Air Quality Act which ended in failure.

    +:-realized some problems of AQA
      -displayed continued concern about the condition of the environment.
      -many more "air quality regions" were created than under the AQA.
      -EPA required to publish air quality criteria for pollutants harmful to 
       health or welfare and to make public possible methods of controlling the
       sources of these pollutants.  Reports published: Sulfur Oxides, carbon 
       monoxide, hydrocarbons, photochemical oxidants, nitrogen oxides.
      -creates first enforceable laws to lower air pollution.  After a national
       primary and secondary air quality standard is set, states containing 
       "air quality control regions" have three years to meet these standards.
       Plans must be submitted 9 months after levels are set.

    -:-still maintains a "regional" view on air quality.
      -many extensions were granted to the 3 year standard enforcement.

                     http://www.epa.gov/history/topics/air/02.htm 

1971

 USA
     Four Corners Air Quality boundaries set by EPA  - under authority of the Clean Air Act, 
         parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah are made an "air quality control region".  


                     http://www.epa.gov/history/topics/air/02.html 

     National Air Quality Standards set by EPA  - Standards for 6 types of pollutants, including 
         sulfur oxides, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, photochemical oxidants, nitrogen 
         oxides and hydrocarbons.

                     http://www.epa.gov/history/topics/caa70/01.html 

     First state clean air plans approved by EPA  -

     Air Pollution danger levels defined by EPA  -

1972

 USA
     Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act  -

     DDT banned by EPA  - 

1973

 USA
     Vehicle maintenance regulations set by EPA  -

     Transportation controls set in urban areas EPA  -

     EPA begins to phase out lead gas  -

1974

 USA
     Environmental Education Project  - EPA and General Mills

     Pollution control benefits displayed by EPA 

1975

 USA
     catalysts required on imported cars  -

aid to polluting industry is cut by Fed. Gov't  -

1976

USA
Toxic Substances Control Act  - EPA

1977

USA
EPA promotes coal-fired power plant scrubbers -

Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977 -

1978

USA
EPA+DOT work on transportation pollution -

Lead air standards set - 

Aerosol fluorocarbons banned -

1979 (Love Canal)

USA
PCB manufacture is banned -

1980

USA (Three Mile Island)
Superfund created - Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act

1981


1982


1983


1984


1985

USA
New gasoline lead limits set -

Air toxics program expanded -

1986 (Chernobyl)

USA
Superfund amended -

1987

USA
Sanctions for air standards not met -

1988

International
Montreal Protocol - 

1989


1990

USA
Clean Air Act Amended -

Pollution Prevention Act -

1991


1992

International
U.N. promotes sustainable development (Earth Summit) -

North America
NAFTA defines economic/environmental goals -

1993

USA
Sulfur dioxide trading rule -

Reduction of toxic emissions

Full elimination of CFC's -

1994

USA
Chemical industry air toxics reduction rule -

1995

USA (U.S. commits to remote-sensing to monitor environment)
Acid Rain emissions trading -

Refinery air toxin's rule -

1996

USA
Lead gasoline banned -

Project XL -

1997


1998


1999

USA
Cleaner cars and fuels standards - planned by EPA

Superfund Reform -

Clean Air Act - EPA shows that the positives of the Clean Air Act are greater than it's cost.

2000

USA
Cleaner diesel fuels - 


2001