Unfinished Business: Why the Acid Rain Problem is Not Solved

The report asserts that while the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments and Canadian programs reduced sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, acid rain remains a major problem due to the cumulative acid burden from 150 years of industrial activity. It highlights ongoing threats to salmon in Nova Scotia, lakes in Canada, and aquatic life in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The document concludes that emissions cuts of up to 80 percent beyond the 1990 amendments are necessary for biological recovery to begin by mid-century, which can be achieved through energy efficiency, renewables, cleaner fuels, and pollution control.

• Despite legislation like the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, which targeted a 50 percent reduction in sulfur dioxide (10 million tons) and a two million ton reduction in nitrogen oxides from utilities, ecosystems remain damaged because emissions are still significantly higher than preindustrial levels.
• Current emission levels continue to threaten specific regional biodiversity, including the decline of Atlantic salmon in Nova Scotia, damage to nearly 100,000 Canadian lakes, and the inability of 30 percent of brook trout streams in Virginia to support the species.
• Biological recovery in acid-sensitive areas of North America is not expected to begin by mid-century unless emissions of acidic compounds are reduced by up to 80 percent beyond the levels established by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments.
• The deep emission reductions required for recovery are achievable using existing economical technologies, including pollution control equipment, cleaner fuels, clean renewables, and energy efficiency.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (2001). Unfinished Business: Why the Acid Rain Problem is Not Solved. https://www.catf.us/resource/unfinished-business-why-the-acid-rain-problem-is-not-solved/

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. Unfinished Business: Why the Acid Rain Problem is Not Solved. 2001. https://www.catf.us/resource/unfinished-business-why-the-acid-rain-problem-is-not-solved/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=Unfinished Business: Why the Acid Rain Problem is Not Solved |date=1 October 2001 |url=https://www.catf.us/resource/unfinished-business-why-the-acid-rain-problem-is-not-solved/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforce2001unfinished, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{Unfinished Business: Why the Acid Rain Problem is Not Solved}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2001}, month = oct, url = {https://www.catf.us/resource/unfinished-business-why-the-acid-rain-problem-is-not-solved/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }