The Clean Air Act was passed in ______.

The Clean Air Act was passed in ______.

• A. 1960
• B. 1970
• C. 1980
• D. 1990

Answer: (B)

The main idea is when the major federal framework for air pollution control was established. The Clean Air Act was passed in 1970, creating the national standards for pollutants, outlining deadlines, and giving the EPA authority to enforce those standards. This 1970 act is the foundational event that shaped federal air quality regulation, with significant amendments added later in 1977 and 1990 to strengthen and update the program. The other years listed don’t reflect the initial enactment: 1960 is before the comprehensive federal framework existed, while 1980 is after the act but before the key amendments, and 1990 refers to those amendments rather than the original act.

The main idea is when the major federal framework for air pollution control was established. The Clean Air Act was passed in 1970, creating the national standards for pollutants, outlining deadlines, and giving the EPA authority to enforce those standards. This 1970 act is the foundational event that shaped federal air quality regulation, with significant amendments added later in 1977 and 1990 to strengthen and update the program. The other years listed don’t reflect the initial enactment: 1960 is before the comprehensive federal framework existed, while 1980 is after the act but before the key amendments, and 1990 refers to those amendments rather than the original act.