What significant environmental legislation did Congress pass in 1990?

The significant environmental legislation passed by Congress in 1990 is known as the Clean Air Act Amendments. This legislation represented a major overhaul of the Clean Air Act of 1970, strengthening and expanding regulations to address air pollution more effectively. One of the key features of the amendments was the establishment of stricter air quality standards and the introduction of provisions aimed at reducing emissions of pollutants responsible for air quality problems, such as smog and acid rain.

The 1990 amendments also introduced a new program to control hazardous air pollutants, as well as a system for regulating the emissions of ozone-depleting substances, which was particularly important in light of concerns about depletion of the ozone layer. This legislation was significant not only for its immediate impact on air quality but also as a reflection of the growing understanding of the interconnectedness of different environmental issues and the need for comprehensive regulatory approaches.

While other pieces of legislation, such as the Clean Water Act Amendments, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act, are important in their own right, they were not the specific legislation that Congress passed in 1990 in relation to air quality.