International air pollution

42 U.S.C. § 7415

• Title: 42 — The Public Health and Welfare
• Chapter: SUBCHAPTER I—PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
• Part: A

Text

(a) Endangerment of public health or welfare in foreign countries from pollution emitted in United States
Whenever the Administrator, upon receipt of reports, surveys or studies from any duly constituted international agency has reason to believe that any air pollutant or pollutants emitted in the United States cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare in a foreign country or whenever the Secretary of State requests him to do so with respect to such pollution which the Secretary of State alleges is of such a nature, the Administrator shall give formal notification thereof to the Governor of the State in which such emissions originate.
(b) Prevention or elimination of endangerment
The notice of the Administrator shall be deemed to be a finding under section 7410(a)(2)(H)(ii) of this title which requires a plan revision with respect to so much of the applicable implementation plan as is inadequate to prevent or eliminate the endangerment referred to in subsection (a). Any foreign country so affected by such emission of pollutant or pollutants shall be invited to appear at any public hearing associated with any revision of the appropriate portion of the applicable implementation plan.
(c) Reciprocity
This section shall apply only to a foreign country which the Administrator determines has given the United States essentially the same rights with respect to the prevention or control of air pollution occurring in that country as is given that country by this section.
(d) Recommendations
Recommendations issued following any abatement conference conducted prior to August 7, 1977, shall remain in effect with respect to any pollutant for which no national ambient air quality standard has been established under section 7409 of this title unless the Administrator, after consultation with all agencies which were party to the conference, rescinds any such recommendation on grounds of obsolescence.

History

(July 14, 1955, ch. 360, title I, §115, formerly §5, as added Pub. L. 88–206, §1, Dec. 17, 1963, 77 Stat. 396; renumbered §105 and amended Pub. L. 89–272, title I, §§101(2), (3), 102, Oct. 20, 1965, 79 Stat. 992, 995, renumbered §108 and amended Pub. L. 90–148, §2, Nov. 21, 1967, 81 Stat. 491, renumbered §115 and amended Pub. L. 91–604, §§4(a), (b)(2)–(10), 15(c)(2), Dec. 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 1678, 1688, 1689, 1713; Pub. L. 95–95, title I, §114, Aug. 7, 1977, 91 Stat. 710.)

Editorial Notes

Editorial Notes

Codification
Section was formerly classified to section 1857d of this title.

Amendments
1977—Pub. L. 95–95 completely revised section by substituting provisions establishing a mechanism for the Administrator to trigger a revision of a State implementation plan under section 7410(a)(2)(H) upon a petition of an international agency or the Secretary of State if he finds that emissions originating in a State endanger the health or welfare of persons in a foreign country for provisions calling for the abatement of air pollution by means of conference procedures.
1970—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 91–604, §4(b)(2), inserted "and which is covered by subsection (b) or (c)" after "persons".
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 91–604, §§4(b)(3), (4), (5), 15(c)(2), redesignated former subsec. (d)(1)(A), (B), and (C) as (b)(1), (2), and (3), substituted "Administrator" for "Secretary" wherever appearing, and added subsec. (b)(4). Former subsec. (b), which related to the encouragement of municipal, State, and interstate action to abate air pollution, was struck out.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 91–604, §§4(b)(3), (6), 15(c)(2), redesignated former subsec. (d)(1)(D) as (c) and substituted "Administrator" for "Secretary" and "Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare" wherever appearing and "subsection" for "subparagraph" wherever appearing. Former subsec. (c), which related to the procedure for the promulgation of State air quality standards, was struck out.
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 91–604, §§4(b)(4), (6), (7), (8), 15(c)(2), redesignated former subsec. (d)(2) and (3) as (d)(1) and (2), in (d)(1) substituted "Administrator" for "Secretary" wherever appearing and "any conference under this section" for "such conference", and in (d)(2) substituted "Administrator" for "Secretary". Former subsec. (d)(1)(A), (B), and (C) were redesignated as (b)(1), (2), and (3), respectively, and subsec. (d)(1)(D) was redesignated as (c).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 91–604, §15(c)(2), substituted "Administrator" for "Secretary" wherever appearing.
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 91–604, §15(c)(2), substituted "Administrator" for "Secretary" wherever appearing and "Environmental Protection Agency" for "Department of Health, Education, and Welfare".
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 91–604, §§4(b)(9), 15(c)(2), substituted "Administrator" for "Secretary" and "subsection (c)" for "subparagraph (D) of subsection (d)".
Subsecs. (i), (j). Pub. L. 91–604, §15(c)(2), substituted "Administrator" for "Secretary" wherever appearing.
Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 91–604, §4(b)(3), (10), substituted provisions relating to compliance with any requirement of an applicable implementation plan or with any standard prescribed under section 7411 of this title or section 7412 of this title, for provisions relating to the enjoining of imminent and substantial endangerment from pollution sources.
1967—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 90–148 substituted reference to subsec. (c), (h), or (k) of this section for reference to subsec. (g) of this section.
Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 90–148 added subsec. (c), redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d), inserted in par. (2) provisions for the delivery prior to the conference of a Federal report to agencies and interested parties covering matters before the conference, raised from three weeks to thirty days the required notice of the conference, and inserted provisions for notice by newspapers, presentation of views on the Federal report, and transcript of proceedings. Former subsec. (d) redesignated (e).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 90–148 redesignated former subsec. (d) as (e). Former subsec. (e) redesignated (f) and amended.
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 90–148 redesignated former subsec. (e) as (f) and inserted in par. (1) requirement that all interested parties be given a reasonable opportunity to present evidence to the hearing board. Former subsec. (f) redesignated (g) and amended.
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 90–148 redesignated former subsec. (f) as (g) and substituted reference to subsec. (d) of this section for reference to subsec. (c) of this section. Former subsec. (g) redesignated (h) and amended.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 90–148 redesignated former subsec. (g) as (h) and substituted reference to subsec. (g) of this section for reference to subsec. (f) of this section. Former subsec. (h) redesignated (i) and amended.
Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 90–148 redesignated former subsec. (h) as (i) and substituted reference to subsec. (f) of this section for reference to subsec. (e) of this section and raised the per diem maximum from $50 to $100. Former subsec. (i) redesignated (j).
Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 90–148 redesignated former subsec. (i) as (j).
Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 90–148 added subsec. (k).
1965—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 89–272, §101(2), substituted "this title" for "this Act", which for purposes of codification has been changed to "this subchapter".
Subsec. (c)(1)(D). Pub. L. 89–272, §102(a), added subpar. (D).
Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 89–272, §101(2), substituted "subchapter" for "chapter".
Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 89–272, §102(b), designated existing provisions as cl. (A) and added cl. (B).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1977 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 95–95 effective Aug. 7, 1977, except as otherwise expressly provided, see section 406(d) of Pub. L. 95–95, set out as a note under section 7401 of this title.

Modification or Rescission of Rules, Regulations, Orders, Determinations, Contracts, Certifications, Authorizations, Delegations, and Other Actions
All rules, regulations, orders, determinations, contracts, certifications, authorizations, delegations, or other actions duly issued, made, or taken by or pursuant to act July 14, 1955, the Clean Air Act, as in effect immediately prior to the date of enactment of Pub. L. 95–95 [Aug. 7, 1977] to continue in full force and effect until modified or rescinded in accordance with act July 14, 1955, as amended by Pub. L. 95–95 [this chapter], see section 406(b) of Pub. L. 95–95, set out as an Effective Date of 1977 Amendment note under section 7401 of this title.

United States-Canadian Negotiations on Air Quality
Pub. L. 95–426, title VI, §612, Oct. 7, 1978, 92 Stat. 990, provided that:
"(a) The Congress finds that—
"(1) the United States and Canada share a common environment along a 5,500 mile border;
"(2) the United States and Canada are both becoming increasingly concerned about the effects of pollution, particularly that resulting from power generation facilities, since the facilities of each country affect the environment of the other;
"(3) the United States and Canada have subscribed to international conventions; have joined in the environmental work of the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and other international environmental forums; and have entered into and implemented effectively the provisions of the historic Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909; and
"(4) the United States and Canada have a tradition of cooperative resolution of issues of mutual concern which is nowhere more evident than in the environmental area.
"(b) It is the sense of the Congress that the President should make every effort to negotiate a cooperative agreement with the Government of Canada aimed at preserving the mutual airshed of the United States and Canada so as to protect and enhance air resources and insure the attainment and maintenance of air quality protective of public health and welfare.
"(c) It is further the sense of the Congress that the President, through the Secretary of State working in concert with interested Federal agencies and the affected States, should take whatever diplomatic actions appear necessary to reduce or eliminate any undesirable impact upon the United States and Canada resulting from air pollution from any source."