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One of the most basic forms of air pollution -- haze -- degrades the visibility in many of America's cities and scenic areas. Haze obscures the color, clarity, texture, and form of what we see. It affects how far and how well we can see landscape features. In many parts of the country, visibility is significantly reduced by air pollutants that are carried by the wind hundreds or even thousands of miles. The same pollutants (fine particles) that form haze also contribute to significant health and environmental problems across the United States.
Our national parks and wilderness areas are places that possess many stunning vistas and scenery. Unfortunately, these scenes are diminished by haze, causing discoloration and loss of texture and visual range. Recognizing the importance of visual air quality, Congress included legislation in the 1977 Clean Air Act to prevent future degradation and remedy existing visibility impairment in Class I areas.
In April, 1999, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a major effort to improve air quality in national parks and wilderness areas. The Regional Haze Rule calls for state and federal agencies to work together to improve visibility in 156 national parks and wilderness areas such as the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, the Great Smokies and Shenandoah. The rule requires the states, in coordination with EPA, the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and other interested parties, to develop and implement air quality protection plans to reduce the pollution that causes visibility impairment. The first State plans for regional haze are due in the 2003-2008 timeframe. Five multi-state regional planning organizations are working together now to develop the technical basis for these plans. New Hampshire is a member of the Mid-Atlantic Northeast Visibility Union (MANE-VU).
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