View all text of Part A [§ 7401 - § 7438]

§ 7415. International air pollution
(a) Endangerment of public health or welfare in foreign countries from pollution emitted in United States

Whenever the Administrator, upon receipt of reports, surveys or studies from any duly constituted international agency has reason to believe that any air pollutant or pollutants emitted in the United States cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare in a foreign country or whenever the Secretary of State requests him to do so with respect to such pollution which the Secretary of State alleges is of such a nature, the Administrator shall give formal notification thereof to the Governor of the State in which such emissions originate.

(b) Prevention or elimination of endangerment

The notice of the Administrator shall be deemed to be a finding under section 7410(a)(2)(H)(ii) of this title which requires a plan revision with respect to so much of the applicable implementation plan as is inadequate to prevent or eliminate the endangerment referred to in subsection (a). Any foreign country so affected by such emission of pollutant or pollutants shall be invited to appear at any public hearing associated with any revision of the appropriate portion of the applicable implementation plan.

(c) Reciprocity

This section shall apply only to a foreign country which the Administrator determines has given the United States essentially the same rights with respect to the prevention or control of air pollution occurring in that country as is given that country by this section.

(d) Recommendations

Recommendations issued following any abatement conference conducted prior to August 7, 1977, shall remain in effect with respect to any pollutant for which no national ambient air quality standard has been established under section 7409 of this title unless the Administrator, after consultation with all agencies which were party to the conference, rescinds any such recommendation on grounds of obsolescence.

(July 14, 1955, ch. 360, title I, § 115, formerly § 5, as added Pub. L. 88–206, § 1, Dec. 17, 1963, 77 Stat. 396; renumbered § 105 and amended Pub. L. 89–272, title I, §§ 101(2), (3), 102, Oct. 20, 1965, 79 Stat. 992, 995, renumbered § 108 and amended Pub. L. 90–148, § 2, Nov. 21, 1967, 81 Stat. 491, renumbered § 115 and amended Pub. L. 91–604, §§ 4(a), (b)(2)–(10), 15(c)(2), Dec. 31, 1970, 84 Stat. 1678, 1688, 1689, 1713; Pub. L. 95–95, title I, § 114, Aug. 7, 1977, 91 Stat. 710.)