Air Pollution

Information on EPA's Efforts To Control Emissions of Sulfur Dioxide Gao ID: RCED-88-32 December 7, 1987

In response to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the status of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) efforts to control sulfur dioxide emissions through development of the Regional Acid Deposition Model (RADM) and the Complex Terrain Dispersion Model (CTDM), which would estimate the movement, transformation, and effect of emissions.

GAO found that EPA: (1) has experienced delays and cost overruns in the development of both RADM and CTDM as a result of changes in the scope of work and funding constraints; (2) originally estimated about $5.7 million for the development and evaluation of CTDM but has already expended approximately $8.5 million in fiscal year 1987; (3) estimated that the final RADM evaluation plan would cost about $30 million and would be completed in 1990; and (4) needs to further improve both models to make them capable of providing it with the information it requires to regulate emissions. GAO also found that EPA approved 48 revisions to 19 state and 3 territory implementation plans from 1984 through 1986, which increased allowable sulfur dioxide emissions by about 250,000 tons per year.



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