This Tuesday, April 22, 2025 is the 55th anniversary of Earth Day in the United States!
On this day in 1970, 20 million Americans marched to show their support and to take action for the health of our planet. It’s now estimated that as many as 1 billion people across the world come together to celebrate Earth Day each year.
But did you know that 1970 was also a milestone year for clean air in the U.S.? While federal legislation regarding air pollution was developed in 1955, 1963, and 1967, it wasn’t until after the first Earth Day in 1970 that both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the landmark Clean Air Act that we know today were created. The act was passed unanimously in the U.S. Senate, 374-to-1 in the House of Representatives, and was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 31, 1970.
The Clean Air Act of 1970 received significant amendments in 1977 and 1990 (under Presidents Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush, respectively), that allowed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct research on and regulate air pollution.
The Clean Air Act of 1970 also authorized the establishment of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and established requirements for State Implementation Plans (SIPs) to achieve the NAAQS, which the work of the Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC) has addressed in Colorado since 1990.
Learn more about the Evolution of the Clean Air Act.
Over the past 55 years, the Clean Air Act has since led to significant reductions in all categories of air pollutants, improving the health of the United States, the planet, and its people. This Earth Day, you can help continue its legacy with simple steps for better air:
Go green with your lawn and garden equipment! Save 30% on electric lawn mowers, leaf blowers, trimmers, and snow blowers at participating retailers statewide.
Leave the car at home for short trips! When you are able, walk, bike, e-bike, or take a scooter for distances less than 2 miles to improve both your health and the planet’s.
Sign up for summer ozone alerts! Summer will be here before we know it, and with it, the potential for hot, sunny days with higher levels of ground-level ozone in the Colorado Front Range. Know when it matters most to take simple steps and reduce your emissions with our timely text or email alerts.
Photo: View of President Richard Nixon signing the Clean Air Act of 1970 at the White House.
Source: Wikimedia commons / U.S. National Archives
