Interstate air pollution governance in the United States: Exploring Clean Air Act Section 126

Air pollution is arguably the most pressing human health concern today, accounting for approximately 7–9 million premature deaths worldwide. In the United States, more than 40% of early deaths caused by air pollution are assessed to be caused by emissions produced by neighboring states. This article...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Underwood, Alixandra, Marcantonio, Richard, Wood, Danielle, Crippa, Paola
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Springer 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148759
_version_ 1855537161270460416
author Underwood, Alixandra
Marcantonio, Richard
Wood, Danielle
Crippa, Paola
author_browse Crippa, Paola
Marcantonio, Richard
Underwood, Alixandra
Wood, Danielle
author_facet Underwood, Alixandra
Marcantonio, Richard
Wood, Danielle
Crippa, Paola
author_sort Underwood, Alixandra
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Air pollution is arguably the most pressing human health concern today, accounting for approximately 7–9 million premature deaths worldwide. In the United States, more than 40% of early deaths caused by air pollution are assessed to be caused by emissions produced by neighboring states. This article examines one of the governance mechanisms used by the U.S. to address this issue: section 126 of the Clean Air Act. Critical factors including case length, evidence used, and case outcome are compiled for the population of section 126 petitions submitted from 2000–2022. This evidence is assessed using comparative case analysis. The findings reinforce two issues with the petition process already identified in the literature–the use of cost as a proxy for significance and the excessive and unclear burden of proof placed on downwind states–adding texture to the latter issue by examining the modeling techniques used by downwind states. This analysis identifies lengthy response timelines as an additional issue and calls to attention the infrequency with which the EPA has formally accepted petitions. Collectively, these issues increase the cost, complexity, and unpredictability of filing a section 126 petition.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace148759
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2024
publishDateRange 2024
publishDateSort 2024
publisher Springer
publisherStr Springer
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1487592025-12-08T10:06:44Z Interstate air pollution governance in the United States: Exploring Clean Air Act Section 126 Underwood, Alixandra Marcantonio, Richard Wood, Danielle Crippa, Paola air pollution cost analysis governance health Air pollution is arguably the most pressing human health concern today, accounting for approximately 7–9 million premature deaths worldwide. In the United States, more than 40% of early deaths caused by air pollution are assessed to be caused by emissions produced by neighboring states. This article examines one of the governance mechanisms used by the U.S. to address this issue: section 126 of the Clean Air Act. Critical factors including case length, evidence used, and case outcome are compiled for the population of section 126 petitions submitted from 2000–2022. This evidence is assessed using comparative case analysis. The findings reinforce two issues with the petition process already identified in the literature–the use of cost as a proxy for significance and the excessive and unclear burden of proof placed on downwind states–adding texture to the latter issue by examining the modeling techniques used by downwind states. This analysis identifies lengthy response timelines as an additional issue and calls to attention the infrequency with which the EPA has formally accepted petitions. Collectively, these issues increase the cost, complexity, and unpredictability of filing a section 126 petition. 2024-09 2024-06-27T18:06:29Z 2024-06-27T18:06:29Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148759 en Open Access Springer Underwood, Alixandra; Marcantonio, Richard; Wood, Danielle; and Crippa, Paola. 2024. Interstate air pollution governance in the United States: Exploring Clean Air Act Section 126. Environmental Management 74: 401–413. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-024-02002-3
spellingShingle air pollution
cost analysis
governance
health
Underwood, Alixandra
Marcantonio, Richard
Wood, Danielle
Crippa, Paola
Interstate air pollution governance in the United States: Exploring Clean Air Act Section 126
title Interstate air pollution governance in the United States: Exploring Clean Air Act Section 126
title_full Interstate air pollution governance in the United States: Exploring Clean Air Act Section 126
title_fullStr Interstate air pollution governance in the United States: Exploring Clean Air Act Section 126
title_full_unstemmed Interstate air pollution governance in the United States: Exploring Clean Air Act Section 126
title_short Interstate air pollution governance in the United States: Exploring Clean Air Act Section 126
title_sort interstate air pollution governance in the united states exploring clean air act section 126
topic air pollution
cost analysis
governance
health
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148759
work_keys_str_mv AT underwoodalixandra interstateairpollutiongovernanceintheunitedstatesexploringcleanairactsection126
AT marcantoniorichard interstateairpollutiongovernanceintheunitedstatesexploringcleanairactsection126
AT wooddanielle interstateairpollutiongovernanceintheunitedstatesexploringcleanairactsection126
AT crippapaola interstateairpollutiongovernanceintheunitedstatesexploringcleanairactsection126