UN: Volcanoes must be fit with scrubbers.

(Mt. St. Helens, Washington State) Under new rules that are part of the Clean Air Planning Act, volcanoes, long responsible for more particulate and sulfur dioxide pollution than all human-caused emissions, might not get a pass any longer.

The volcanic emissions portions of the legislation was finally agreed upon by congressional negotiators after congress decided to allow states in which eruptions occur to come up with their own enforcement mechanisms.

"We realize that it might be difficult for the states to come up with efficient and cost-effective measures for achieving volcanic emission reductions", said EPA Assistant Administrator Dr. Susan Vulcan. "That is why the reduction requirements are implemented gradually over time...only 5% each year". Several companies have already submitted bids to Washington State to build and install massive "mountain scrubbers" that are expected to remove hundreds of tons of emissions per day during a major eruption.

While the new mountain scrubber technology is expensive, most states with volcanic hazards have indicated that they will increase the state sales tax rate on tobacco products in order to raise the additional revenue necessary to pay for the mountain scrubbers.