Atmospheric Programs

U.S. EPA’s innovative cap-and-trade allowance allocation program to reduce emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides — the principal precursors of acid rain — requires massive amounts of data from affected utilities across the country.

To help EPA assess the accuracy of those data and meet other requirements of the Acid Rain Program, we:

• Evaluate predictive emissions monitoring systems
• Audit utilities' continuous emission monitoring (CEM) programs
• Develop data auditing software to perform quality assurance reviews of reported emissions data and to identify candidate units for field audits
• Conduct field programs for the development of EPA test methods for stack flow measurements
• Program and statistically analyze emissions and deposition databases
• Automate and coordinate the production of emissions monitor certification reports
• Design and produce annual reports of national and regional reductions in emissions
• Write quality assurance plans for CEM programs
• Assess past and projected environmental impacts of acid deposition on lakes and forests.