Air Pollution: Rising Threat

Report Outline
New Spurt in Drive for Cleaner Air
Critical Nature of Pollution Problem
Measures to Curb Pollution of the Air

New Spurt in Drive for Cleaner Air

Gathering of Forces to Combat Air Pollution

A national attack on the least tolerable by-product of civilized life—dirty air—received major impetus on April 21 when President Johnson ordered a “greatly accelerated” research effort to discover new methods of reducing air pollution. At the same time, he called for still higher levels of spending in the already augmented air pollution control budgets for 1967 and 1968. Government sources attributed the President's action in part to growing public support of vigorous anti-pollution programs now under way in the most seriously affected areas of the nation. “The control of air pollution is a matter of highest priority,” the President said in his public memorandum to H.E.W. Secretary John W. Gardner, “and I intend to continue the battle for clean air with all the resources at my disposal.”

Pollution of the air has been recognized as a rising health hazard for at least two decades. But it is only within the past year that signs of a major push, comparable on a national scale to the pioneering anti-pollution activities undertaken in California, have emerged: (1) The big cities are getting tougher with the polluters; (2) states are entering the control picture more forcefully and in greater numbers; (3) recently authorized federal programs are moving into the action stage; and (4) the first steps directed toward effective regional and interstate control have been taken.

The federal requirement that all 1968 models of automobiles be designed or equipped to reduce air-contaminating emissions—a rule expected to add from $20 to $55 to the price of each car—will bring home to most Americans the national aspect of the clean air crusade. In the same way, a multiplication of bans on backyard trash-burning is making average householders feel the toughening arm of local air pollution authorities.