The Clean Air Amendments of 1970 (Public Law 91-604) strengthened the federal Clean Air Act by expanding research into the health and environmental effects of air pollutants, increasing grant funding to state and regional air pollution control agencies, and establishing a framework for national ambient air quality standards. The law required the EPA Administrator to publish and maintain a list of harmful air pollutants and issue scientific criteria for each within 12 months of listing. It also directed states to take primary responsibility for meeting national air quality standards within their borders through mandatory implementation plans.Open full document
Notes
Public Law 91-604, enacted December 31, 1970, amends the Clean Air Act to provide a more effective program to improve the quality of the nation’s air. The law expands research programs on the health and welfare effects of air pollutants, establishes grant programs for state and regional air pollution planning and control, and creates a framework for national ambient air quality standards including air quality control regions and criteria. It authorizes the EPA Administrator to conduct epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory studies and to enter into long-term research contracts.