he major impacts on public utility companies of the Clean Air Act concerns acid rain. Acid rain might be associated in the public mind with some sort of water pollution. In fact, however, acid rain is a manifestation of air pollution.
An acid is a chemical compound containing hydrogen that can be replaced by a metal or other positive ion to form a salt. Acids dissociate in water to yield hydrogen ions (H+). Acid solutions are corrosive and have a sharp taste. Acid rain is moisture falling from clouds that has a high acid content.
Pollution is introduced into the air by both natural and artificial contaminant particulates. Typical natural contaminants include salt particles from the oceans, and dust and gases from volcanoes. Typical artificial contaminants are wastes and gases that emanate from industrial, power generation, municipal, household, aircraft, rocket, and automotive combustion processes.
Many contaminant particulates introduced into the air rise to an altitude sufficient to permit their
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