What Region of the United States Is Most Affected by Acid Rain?

Rain is slightly acidic naturally. However, acid rain generally refers to any way in which acid falls from the atmosphere to the earth. The better known form is any precipitation that contains high amounts of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide that occur because of air pollutants. A lesser known, minor type of acid rain comes in the form of dry particles and gases and occurs due to natural causes, like volcano eruptions.

High environmental acidity exists in most of Europe, parts of Canada, and developing countries like China and India. But which region of the United States is most affected by acid rain?

Worst Hit

• Though the eastern half of the United States is affected by acid rain, the northeast (especially New York State) suffers the most.

Cause

• Acid rain occurs in highly urbanized and industrialized areas like the northeastern United States where many fossil fuel burning factories operate. Due to the size of the population in the northeast, people driving vehicles that burn diesel and gasoline contribute to acid rain; the exhaust in vehicles release sulfur dioxide. In addition, many of U.S. power plants located in the Midwest blow their coal-burning pollutants toward the East Coast.

Origins

• The Industrial Revolution brought on the rise of gas emissions, but the problem was discovered in the 1950s and started receiving attention in the 1960s.

Environmental Effects

• Lakes in the Adirondack Mountains in New York and streams in southeastern New York, much of Pennsylvania and parts of Maryland and West Virginia are frequently acidic.

Health Effects

• Acid rain can come into contact with anything people consume, and it can cause or increase lung and breathing problems like asthma, particularly in children and senior citizens.

Regulations

• In order to reduce gas emissions from power plants, the U.S. passed the Clean Air Act in 1970 and expanded it in 1990. An acid deposition control amendment, which calls for major reductions in acid rain causing pollutants, was included in the expanded version.