This week, the EPA announced that it would seek to cut air pollution from power plants in 31 eastern states plus the District of Columbia, since these emissions are linked to public health problems like asthma and heart attacks.
The increasing efficiency and falling costs of products like photovoltaic panels will make the nation less dependent on fossil fuels that contribute to many current air pollution problems. This specific EPA proposal would aim to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 71 percent over 2005 levels by 2014, while also reducing nitrogen oxide emissions during that same period by 52 percent.
The EPA also noted that air pollution is responsible for nearly 2 million lost school and work days in the United States because of the health problems it brings on.
"We're working to limit pollution at its source, rather than waiting for it to move across the country. The reductions we're proposing will save billions in health costs, help increase American educational and economic productivity, and - most importantly - save lives," said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson.
