United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2001-05-25 monographic deposited born digital 47 p. GA 1.13:GAO-01-658 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-658 P0b002ee180381f91 f:d01658 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-658 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-658 GAO-01-658 Air pollution control Electric power generation Environmental law Environmental monitoring National parks Respiratory diseases Great Smoky Mountains National Park North Carolina Tennessee Other Written Product A01015 There has been growing concern about the air quality, visibility, and certain respiratory illnesses in and near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. This report analyzes recent trends in and contributing factors to (1) visibility impairments, (2) ground-level ozone, and (3) respiratory illnesses. In addition, this report examines the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) plans to reduce its emission of regulated pollutants from generating electricity. Visibility impairments and ozone are largely attributable to three types of emissions (1) sulfur dioxide, (2) nitrogen oxides, and (3)volatile organic compounds. The counties that border the park generally have slightly higher mortality rates from two types of respiratory illness. The three types of emissions interact in the atmosphere to form ozone gas and sulfate particles, which are associated with respiratory illnesses. In response to federal laws and other factors, TVA, is making substantial environment-related investments and expects to reduce its annual emissions of sulfur dioxide by 40 percent and its ''ozone-season'' emissions of nitrogen oxides by 70 percent between 1999 and 2005. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-658/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-658.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-658/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-658.pdf GAO-01-658 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-658 Other Written Product GAO-01-658; Air Pollution: Air Quality and Respiratory Problems in and Near the Great Smoky Mountains; Air pollution control Electric power generation Environmental law Environmental monitoring National parks Respiratory diseases Great Smoky Mountains National Park North Carolina Tennessee H. Rept. 106-1033