acid rain

[Guest rich mc]

what ever happened to this big topic from the 90's? . didnt the science world say that upper midwest and northeast states would be fishless due to the acid waters. we never hear of acid rain anymore.. rich mc

[jhoekstra]

Regulation of coal-fired power plants and smelters led to widespread adoption of scrubbers and lower-sulfur types of coal, reducing sulfur dioxide emissions greatly. It was a type of cap-and-trade type system. Most scientists credit it with heading off the worst impacts of acid rain.

 

There are also regions that are naturally protected from acid rain by limestone bedrock and buffered soils.

 

The main remaining threat are nitrogen oxides that are released by internal combustion engines of every sort and a number of other sources including agriculture. Acid rain isn't "solved" but the trends have been encouraging. Unfortunately positive environmental news is not widely reported, leading to a perception that there's nothing we can do.

 

Here's to sweet cool water.

 

Jon H

[Greg C]

Mayyybe...it because, like every other "Chicken Little" theory, IT'S BOGUS!!! "Vote for us, so we can save you from yourselves!"

[markd]

Same science world that said we were heading into an ice age in the 70's. Will be interesting to see what the big scare is in 30 years.

[ronk]

Acid rain was a real not bogus problem in the northeast. The reason it went away as jh points out was instead of sticking our heads in the sand as some would have us do re global warming positive steps were taken to correct it.Re the ice age concern in the 70s it was based on the false belief that the particulate pollution in the atmosphere so prevalent back than(remember how snow on the ground would blacken after a few days?) would reduce the sun's warming effect.This theory was fortified by the purely coincidental occurances of 4 brutal winters in the late 70s.We have since learned that air pollution has in fact the opposite affect as a cause of global warming by thinning the ozone layer thereby intensifying the sun's affects & the greenhouse affect of pollution trapped in the upper atmosphere.The thinning of the ozone layer is a documented fact as is the ongoing accelerated loss of the ice fields.Maybe those who contend that it's all a part of the planet's natural climatic shifts are right. But I think there's too much evidence to the contrary to chance it sitting on our hands & making matters worse.

[John Gillio]

I remember the shape the local rivers were in back in the 60s. They were nasty. The Clean Water Act of 1971 made a major impact on their revival. I also recall a small town, not 20 miles from me, having problems with acid rain ruining clothes hanging on the clothesline. I totally agree with Jon and Ron.

[alank]

thumbs up to Jon & Ron's responses!

[Ed Buric]

Acid rain was a real not bogus problem in the northeast. The reason it went away as jh points out was instead of sticking our heads in the sand as some would have us do re global warming positive steps were taken to correct it.Re the ice age concern in the 70s it was based on the false belief that the particulate pollution in the atmosphere so prevalent back than(remember how snow on the ground would blacken after a few days?) would reduce the sun's warming effect.This theory was fortified by the purely coincidental occurances of 4 brutal winters in the late 70s.We have since learned that air pollution has in fact the opposite affect as a cause of global warming by thinning the ozone layer thereby intensifying the sun's affects & the greenhouse affect of pollution trapped in the upper atmosphere.The thinning of the ozone layer is a documented fact as is the ongoing accelerated loss of the ice fields.Maybe those who contend that it's all a part of the planet's natural climatic shifts are right. But I think there's too much evidence to the contrary to chance it sitting on our hands & making matters worse.

 

Well said