Eleven events in 2010 will impact the air you breathe in 2011 and beyond. One of them, December 31, 2010, marks the 40th anniversary of the Clean Air Act. For four decades, this historic law has helped protect the lives and health of all Americans.

America has much cleaner air than it did in 1970, thanks to this landmark public health protection—and thanks to the actions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over the years to enforce it. This anniversary year saw many such actions, and unfortunately, a few that delayed sorely needed air pollution protection.

Click below for more details on the 11 biggest clean air events in 2010.

• Old, dirty diesel engines cleaned up
• Stronger limits on toxics from cement kilns
• Cleanup of ocean-going ships steering for U.S. ports
• New limits on tailpipe exhaust
• First new limits in 39 years on two dangerous pollutants: sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide
• Cleanup proposed for power plants that spew smog and soot across the country
• Delay in cleaning up toxic industrial pollution
• Delay in protecting children’s health from ozone smog
• Delay in protecting us from particle pollution
• Monitoring air pollution from Gulf Oil Spill
• 160,000 lives saved this year thanks to the Clean Air Act

Old, dirty diesel engines cleaned up

Old diesel engines pollute more than newer ones. Old engines can continue to spew dangerous pollution for years. Those who live along highways and near ports breathe high levels of the exhaust, placing a heavy burden on their health. State and local governments, school systems, and nonprofits got help in 2009-2010 to tackle that problem. Congress invested $300 million to clean up dirty diesel engines in 2009-2010 under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA). EPA also funded $77 million in grants under Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) programs to clean up school buses, trucks, and construction equipment. In late December, Congress unanimously passed a law that extended DERA authority to fund cleanup of old, dirty diesel vehicles and equipment for the next 5 years.

• In 2009 and 2010, 49 states and the District of Columbia had diesel emission projects. The American Lung Association in the Upper Midwest received funding to assist in cleaning up diesel fleets in eight states under ARRA.

Changes like these cut diesel emissions from roughly 14,000 school buses, trucks, transit vehicles, and marine engines in 2008. Estimated health benefits in FY 2008 from decreased respiratory symptoms, asthma, and hospital visits total between $580 million and $1.4 billion and save between 95 and 240 lives each year. DERA programs provide $13 in public health benefits for every $1 spent, making DERA one of the most cost-effective federal programs.

• The national program funds cleanup of the most damaging emissions, promotes technological innovations to reduce emissions, and supports low-cost loans to purchase clean diesel technologies. Through DERA funding, states have also begun their own diesel emission reduction programs. Click here for more information about the national clean diesel program.

Stronger limits on toxics from cement kilns

In 2010, EPA enacted final amendments to rules that will significantly reduce emissions of mercury, acid gases, particulate matter and other air pollutants from 158 Portland cement kilns in the United States. Cleaning up these emissions will save as many as 2,500 lives each year by 2013. The new limits will also prevent 1,500 heart attacks, 1,740 hospital admissions, 7,000 asthma attacks, and 130,000 days of missed work.

• Cleaning up cement kilns will cut highly toxic emissions of mercury, acid gases, particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide. These toxic pollutants make breathing more difficult, cause asthma attacks and heart attacks, and even kill. Mercury can also harm the ability of children to think and learn, even before they are born.
• EPA estimates that the economic benefits to public health from the cleaner air should total $7 to $19 for every dollar in costs.

Cleanup of ocean-going ships steering for U.S. ports

Exhaust spewing from the diesel engines on large ocean-going ships can pollute areas hundreds of miles from the coast. EPA can now require all international ships within 200 nautical miles of U.S. waters to limit emissions to the same levels U.S. marine diesel engines must meet. EPA also adopted new requirements for cleaner large marine diesel engines on U.S. flagged vessels. These limits require substantial reductions in the emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and fine particulate matter from large diesel engines.

• By 2020 changes from limiting pollution from ocean-going vessels will annually save up to 14,000 lives and prevent 3,800 emergency room visits.
• By 2030, less pollution from ocean-going vessels will save up to 31,000 lives and prevent 20,000 heart attacks, 12,000 hospital admissions, 8,000 emergency room visits, and 1.4 million days of missed work each year. EPA estimates that the public health benefits will range from $110 billion to $270 billion, far exceeding projected costs of $3.1 billion.

New limits on tailpipe exhaust

In 2010, EPA enacted a historic national program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide and other air pollutants, from cars, SUVs and light trucks.

• New passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty passenger vehicles must reduce carbon dioxide emissions from model year 2012 to 2016. Manufacturers may earn credits toward their fleet-wide average standards and build a single light-duty national fleet that satisfies all federal emissions requirements.
• On May 21, the President directed EPA to begin work to review the tailpipe emissions limits for nitrogen oxides and air toxics, sulfur standards for gasoline, and tighter standards for CO2 for model year 2017 and on.
• The President also directed the agency to begin work on establishing greenhouse gas emissions standards to cut carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from commercial medium- and heavy-duty trucks, beginning with model year 2014. This rule will be final in 2011. Emissions reduction will focus on the use of existing technologies to meet the new standards.

First new limits in 39 years on two dangerous pollutants: sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide

The Clean Air Act requires EPA to review the national air quality standards every five years to ensure that they reflect the current science and protect public health. However, EPA has rarely met that requirement. These two standards had not been changed in nearly four decades.

For the first time since 1971, EPA strengthened the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air quality standard. The new standard will protect vulnerable individuals and communities especially near major roads and highways from exposure to nitrogen dioxide.

• Nitrogen dioxide contributes to both ozone and particulate matter, and can worsen asthma and increase the risk of infections.
• EPA also committed to expanding the network of monitors near roadways to find where unhealthy levels are located. One recent major review estimated that 30 percent to 45 percent of people living in large North American cities live close enough to a major highway to get the worst traffic-related pollution.

Also for the first time since 1971, EPA strengthened the sulfur dioxide (SO2) standard. This new standard protects against the short-term bursts that can harm communities living near major sources like power plants.

• Bursts of sulfur dioxide can trigger asthma attacks because of the high short-term concentrations. SO2 can form fine particles that can shorten life. This standard will protect vulnerable communities and individuals living near power plants from inhaling these high levels of sulfur dioxide.
• The standard is projected to save 2,300 to 5,900 lives and prevent 290,000 lost work days, 55,000 asthma attacks, 4,306 hospital visits, and 3,900 heart attacks by 2020. EPA estimates that the economic benefits to public health will range from $15 billion to $37 billion.

Cleanup proposed for power plants that spew smog and soot across the country

In July, EPA proposed the Clean Air Transport Rule to cut emissions from power plants that create ozone (smog) and particle pollution (soot). This rule targets power plant pollution blown across state lines, helping reduce air pollution in communities in the Northeast, Midwest and Southeastern states. The rule will be final in the spring of 2011.

• Power plants would have to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that add to ozone and particle pollution in other states. By 2014, the rule is estimated to reduce power plant sulfur dioxide emissions by 71 percent compared to 2005 levels and emissions of nitrogen oxides by 52 percent.
• By 2014, about 14,000 to 36,000 lives will be saved each year, because less particle pollution and ozone means fewer deaths. Other benefits include preventing 240,000 asthma attacks, 23,000 heart attacks, and 26,000 hospital and emergency room visits annually. EPA estimates that the economic benefits to public health will range from $120 to $290 billion, outweighing the annual cost of implementation by $2.8 billion.

Delay in cleaning up toxic industrial pollution

In April, EPA proposed steps to reduce toxic air emissions from industrial plants, commercial settings and large institutions. EPA called for the cleanup of emissions from large and small boilers, units that burn fuel onsite to provide electricity and heat. This action would cut mercury, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and acid gases by requiring facilities to install equipment to clean up those toxic emissions. Originally, EPA said it would make the requirements final in January 2011, meeting a court-ordered deadline. However, in December EPA asked the court to let it delay the final rule. Unfortunately, the delay means that vulnerable individuals and burdened communities near these facilities will continue to have to breathe these industrial poisons until EPA acts.

• EPA predicts that by 2013, about 2,010 to 5,100 lives would be saved each year if both large and small boilers clean up. In addition, cutting these pollutants would prevent 3,190 heart attacks, 3,369 hospital visits, 266,000 missed work days, and 35,100 asthma attacks each year. EPA estimates that the financial benefits to public health would range from $18 billion to $43.4 billion, outweighing the costs of implementation by $15.5 billion.

Delay in protecting children’s health from ozone smog

In December, EPA announced that it would delay setting protective new limits for ground-level ozone (smog), the most widespread pollutant in the nation. This announcement marked the third delay following the January 2010, proposal to strengthen the current limit set in 2008. The limit, called an air quality standard, drives the cleanup of air pollution around the nation. EPA’s delay in setting a final standard means that cleanup measures across the country will be delayed at least six more months, continuing the risk to lives and health.

• Ozone smog makes breathing difficult, worsens asthma and can shorten life. At highest risk are children, seniors, people with lung diseases like asthma, and people who work or exercise outdoors. EPA proposed selecting the standard from within a significantly stronger range of 60-70 ppb. The American Lung Association and other public health groups and medical societies, and EPA’s expert science advisors have endorsed a much more protective standard.
• EPA estimates that setting the standard for ozone to 60 ppb will save 4,000 to 12,000 lives and prevent 21,000 hospitalizations, 58,000 asthma attacks, 5,300 heart attacks, and result in 2.5 million fewer school and work days lost each year. The lower ozone levels will yield $35 billion to $100 billion in health benefits by 2020.
• EPA picked the current standard of 75 parts per billion (ppb) in 2008 despite the EPA expert scientists’ own conclusion that it failed to protect public health with an adequate margin of safety, a Clean Air Act requirement upheld by a unanimous Supreme Court in 2001.

Delay in protecting us from particle pollution

EPA planned to propose new national limits, or standards, for particle pollution in November 2010, but delayed that announcement until February 2011. Particle pollution, or particulate matter, is one of the most widespread and dangerous air pollutants. Particles are a combination of microscopic specks of soot, dust, and aerosols in the air we breathe. National standards are official limits on air pollution that drive cleanup of air pollution around the nation. Particle pollution can shorten life, cause asthma attacks, heart attacks, and strokes. People most at risk from breathing particle pollution include: children and teens, older adults, anyone with asthma or another lung disease, anyone with a cardiovascular disease or diabetes, low income families, or anyone who works or plays outdoors. EPA’s delay means that more lives remain at risk of early death for longer, as particle levels remain much too high.

Monitoring air pollution from Gulf Oil Spill

In response to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the cleanup efforts during the spring and summer of 2010, EPA closely monitored air pollutants that posed threats to the health of residents and cleanup personnel along the Gulf Coast. EPA posted all the monitoring data on its website.

• EPA added temporary fixed and mobile air quality monitors on the Gulf Coast to supplement the existing network of monitors to detect ozone and fine particle pollution.
• The agency monitored pollutants that could evaporate from crude, weathered, and burning oil from the Gulf that drifted into onshore air. Pollutants from dispersants used to clean up the spill and hydrogen sulfide emitted from oil extraction were also monitored.

160,000 lives saved this year thanks to the Clean Air Act

The Clean Air Act has a long history of helping to clean up pollution to provide protection for all Americans from the often invisible, but dangerous pollutants in the air they breathe. Passed in 1970 by Congress, the Act has succeeded in enabling the U.S. to cut emissions of the six most widespread air pollutants by 60 percent since then, all while the economy grew by over 200 percent, according to EPA’s analysis. In 2010 alone, the Clean Air Act’s public health protections saved the lives of over 160,000 people, according to EPA’s preliminary estimates.

Happy 40th Anniversary, Clean Air Act! Keep up the good work.

The American Lung Association urges EPA to continue to protect our health, and the President and Congress to protect our rights to clean, healthy air. Send a message EPA to adopt a strong ozone standard. Sign on to this letter to tell President Obama and Congress to protect the Clean Air Act.