Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 25, June 22, 2024
Section 9.161 - Clean air resource areas(a) Humans cannot afford to chance that the long term effects of air pollu- tion now suspected, but not proven, will not occur. It is essential that steps be taken to preserve reservoirs of clean air which can provide for future dilution of air pollutants and maintenance of natural systems on a global scale. For these reasons, protection of existing clean air resources is of significant environmental concern.(b) It shall be the environmental policy of the Commonwealth to preserve and protect the clean air resource areas of the Commonwealth to ensure the maintenance of ecosystems, high quality human health and welfare, and the long term survival of society.(c) Protecting clean air resource areas is a distinctly different problem from those usually faced in the regulation of air quality. This Commonwealth presently regards the major problems of air quality control as first, bringing existing sources into compliance with standards; and second, preventing new sources from exceeding standards.(d) The program of the Commonwealth is designed to deal with the immediate, urgent need to clean up serious air pollution problems of urban areas. The next step is to develop a program to protect the clean air resource areas of the Commonwealth. The following policies provide a basis for this protection.