2007 Annual Conference Highlights

The 2007 Critical Review
by John Bachmann, Principal, Vision Air Consulting, and
Former Associate Director for Science/Policy and New Programs,
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. EPA

In case you missed it, John Bachmann kicked off this year's Critical Review presentation with a song. Sung to the tune of Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire," Bachmann's "We Didn't Write the Air Act" was a rollicking start to a lively review of the history of the U.S. national ambient air quality standards. To hear the song in its entirety, just click "Play" below, then follow along with the lyrics.

Access the full Critical Review and the Critical Review discussion.

Thanks to Alexander Drive

Juan Santiago, Lead Guitar
Brian Shrager, Keys
Lisa Sutton, Bass
Danny Green (not pictured), Drums
Elin Ulrich, Andrea Coleman, Alyson Scoltock, Vocals

And, of course, to Billy Joel, for his inspired concept and music for We Didn't Start the Fire.

We Didn't Write the Air Act

Raymond Tucker, New York chokes, London smog, British Smoke
Meuse Valley, Donora PA, Bierstecker and Reid

LA photochemistry, Haagen-Schmidt, Whitby

Shel Friedlander, Paul Altshuller, O(1) singlet (D)

Robert E Lee Cincinnati, John O’Connor, Benjy Linsky

Abatement conference, AQCR, Art Stern, PHS

Happy Earth Day EPA, Muskie gets it his way

Ruckelshaus right away – NAAQS

We didn’t write the Air Act

It was always written by those politicians

We didn’t write the Air Act

No, we didn’t write it, but we’re tryin’ to fight it

Victor Sussman, Griswold, Scheuneman, Steigerwald

Middleton and Barth’s calls – work around the clock

Criteria, TSP, just forget olfactory

CO, SOx, HC, Oxidants, and NOx

Robert Samson, Roger Strelow, Ed Tuerk must clear every memo
Coleman invents PSD, gas lines give us energy

NEHSAPS, early SIPs, NSPS deadlines slip

Headlines say “LA fails, EPA goes to jail”

Chorus

Lawsuits, mis-lead, NAAQS reviews, CHESS dead

Charles Schultze, API, ozone standard bye-bye

Les Grant, CASAC, David Hawkins, new Act

Costle’s haze goal - scrubbing low sulfur coal

Wolff and Lioy, sulfates, EPRI, Mueller, SURE, STATE

DC Circuit Court shows - costs in NAAQS a no go

Ronald Reagan, James Watt, California’s new prop

Gorsuch heads EPA - what else do I have to say?

Chorus

Kathleen Bennett, Joseph Cannon, Super Fund, Annie’s gone

Ruckelshaus back - again, we are briefing PM-10

Institute, Bhopal, SO2 risk small

Acid plan won’t play - Stockman’s fish is $6K

‘88 smog peaks, toxics rules in retreat
STAPPA, Congress, Bush complain – Clean Air Act gotta change

Chorus

Rosenberg sales plan - Dingell-grams melt Waxman

Mitchell Bill, Group of Nine - Titles 1-2-3-4-5

Schwartz and Pope, 8-hour – split vote, Browner power

EDF, ALA, UARG, and the ATA

NAAQS win 9 – zip, UVb, NOx SIP

Clear Skies not far, Wehrum screws up NSR

Whitman, Leavitt, Johnson – Clean Air Rules and then some

CASAC panel is ignored, I can’t take it anymore

Chorus/Fin