Congress Passes the Air Pollution Control Act.

On July 14, 1955, the U.S. Congress enacted the first federal legislation to control air pollution, the Air Pollution Control Act. The objectives of this act included protecting national air resources so as to promote public health and welfare, providing technical and financial assistance to state and local governments by the federal government for air-pollution prevention and control programs, initiating a national research program to prevent and control air pollution, and assisting in the development and operation of air-pollution control programs. This act recognized that, although sources of air pollution were local problems, federal assistance was necessary to develop cooperative air-pollution control programs between state and local governments. In 1955, it was necessary to identify pollution sources, analyze effects of air pollution, and initiate effective legislation and enforcement by government regulatory agencies.