1. Acid Precipitation

2. Definitions & Types • Acid precipitation is precipitation abnormally high in sulfuric and nitric acid that is caused by atmospheric pollutants. Types • Acid rain • Acid dust • Acid snow • Acid gas

3. Location • Northeastern United States • Southeastern Canada • Sweden • Norway • Germany • South Africa and South Asia are in danger of being impacted by acid rain in the future.

4. Pollution Causes • Acid rain is caused by the release of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide during fossil fuel combustion. • When these gasses are released into the atmosphere they react with water, oxygen, and other gases already present there to form sulfuric acid, ammonium nitrate, and nitric acid. • Then the acids spread out over large areas because of wind patterns and fall back to the ground as acid rain • The gases responsible for acid rain are usually a byproduct of electric power generation, cars, and the burning of coal.

5. Environmental Consequences • Acid rain effects waterways the most by polluting them • Overtime acid rain can drastically lower the point of pH of a body of water • The rain can also lower the pH of the soil • If the pH of a lake drops below 4.8 the plants and animals living there risk death • Over 50,000 lakes in the United States have a pH below normal

6. Pollution Conservation Efforts • Funding is being given to areas affected by acid rain to help clean it up • Requiring energy producers to clean smokestacks to trap pollutants before they are released into the atmosphere. • Clean Air Act- law designed to reduce acid rain and improve public health by reducing sulfur oxide • You can help prevent acid rain by conserving energy and not putting harmful gases in the air

7. Costs • To clean up what acid rain has damaged it costs approximately $5 billion dollars annually. That money is spent on: • Paint for cars • Cleaning water • New plants/trees • Supplies to fix statues or buildings

8. Applicable Legislation • CAAA (Clean Air Act Amendments) also known as the Acid Rain Program are working to prevent acid rain • Cleaning smokestacks to prevent certain chemicals from getting into the air • Reducing the amount of gases or chemicals we put into the air in any way • GASP (Group Against Smog and Pollution)

9. Facts • Most acid rain problems are caused by large coal burner plants • Acid rain has been linked to breathing and lung problems and people who have asthma. • Even people with great health can have lungs damaged by the acid in the air • Areas become very hazy or foggy due to acid rain • Acid rain can harm roads and bridges, it has even caused bridges to collapse

10. Literature Cited • http://www.nytimes.com/1981/04/26/business/prospects-acid-rain-costs-money.html • http://acidrain2004.tripod.com/id11.html

11. Video • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc6j7zz1_do