Table 1.

Selected federal legislation related to air pollution.

Year	Legislation	Notes
1955	Air Pollution Control Act	First federal legislation related to air pollution, authorized funds for research
1963	Clean Air Act	First legislation involving air pollution control, authorized program in the U.S. Public Health Service
1967	Air Quality Act	Authorized enforcement proceedings, expanded ambient monitoring studies and stationary source inspections
1970	Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970	Comprehensive regulations to limit emissions from industrial and mobile sources including a requirement to reduce automobile emissions by 90% by 1975, expanded enforcement authority
1971	Creation of the US EPA	Authorized by the National Environmental Policy Act, created to implement requirements of the CAAA of 1970
1977	Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977	Provisions were added to prevent deterioration of air quality in geographic areas that were not meeting air quality standards.
1990	Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990	Increased authority and responsibility of the federal government, targeting acid rain, urban air pollution, toxic air emissions, and ozone depletion