Acid rain threat increased by Trump's policies, warns leading expert
What's the story
Gene Likens, the scientist who first discovered acidic rainwater in North America, has raised alarms about the potential return of toxic acid rain. He blames Donald Trump's administration's pollution rollback policies for this alarming possibility. Likens warns that the changes could reverse decades of progress in air quality and potentially lead to a resurgence of acid rain.
Concerns
Rollbacks could lead to a return of acid rain
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Trump has notably weakened clean air and water regulations. This, Likens says, could usher in an era where cities were often shrouded in smog. He warns that if strict measures against toxic emissions from power plants, cars, and trucks aren't reinstated, acid rain could once again become a reality in the US.
Research challenges
Likens's long-term project to monitor rainwater acidity faces funding cuts
At 90, Likens still continues his decades-long project, started in 1976, to test rainwater for acidity. "I hope we don't go back to the old days," said Likens about the rollbacks. "These rollbacks are very alarming." He stressed his concern for future generations, wanting them to have clean air and water resources. This comes as several environmental programs are facing funding cuts by the Trump administration.
Historical context
Likens' discovery of acidic rainwater in 1963
In 1963, a young scientist named Likens found that rainwater in New Hampshire's Hubbard Brook Experimental forest was 100 times more acidic than expected. Further investigations revealed that pollution from coal-fired power plants in the Midwest was being carried by wind to the eastern US and Canada. The pollutants reacted with water and oxygen, resulting in sulfuric and nitric acids falling as acid rain.
Response
Acid rain's impact and political action in the 1980s
By 1980, average rainfall in the US was 10 times more acidic than normal, wreaking havoc on the environment. Lakes and streams were too acidic for fish and amphibians to survive. Faced with growing public concern over acid rain, Congress passed an update to the Clean Air Act in 1990 to reduce power plant pollution. President George HW Bush signed the legislation, emphasizing his commitment to ensuring clean air for every American city.
Progress
Recent acid rain sampling shows significant acidity reduction
Recent sampling of rainwater and soils in the White Mountains region shows that acidity levels have dropped 85% since the 1970s peak. However, Likens warned that any return of acid rain to these fragile ecosystems would be catastrophic due to soil degradation. "If the Trump administration starts releasing controls on emissions, we are going to destroy that success story," he said, referring to the progress made against acid rain.
Regulatory changes
EPA's plan to eliminate or weaken 31 regulations
The EPA's plan under Trump to eliminate or weaken 31 regulations, has been described as a "dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion" by Lee Zeldin, the agency's administrator. According to EPA's own estimates of these rules' benefits, this move could lead to thousands of additional deaths and an increase in heart, lung, and other illnesses. The full extent of these rollbacks will likely take years and various court battles to become apparent.
Funding cuts
Likens's research funding cut by Trump administration
Likens founded the Institute of Ecosystem Studies (now the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies) to further study acid rain. He also established a separate monitoring system at Cornell University near New York's Finger Lakes, which has been active since 1976. However, this month, his funding was cut by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as part of Trump's administration's effort to reduce government size.