There was concern that industries would not be able to operate as well or meet the requirements required by Congress. Fears that the economy would suffer from strict environmental regulations never materialized. Since the introduction of the Clean Air Act of 1970, "overall emissions of common air pollutants have fallen 68 percent, while U.S. gross domestic product has increased 212 percent." Total private sector employment increased 88 percent during the same period” (Clean Air Act and Economy). There are a multitude of reasons why the United States has benefited from the Clean Air Act: environmental costs represent only a small percentage of industry revenues, cleaner technologies have made the United States a world leader in the market, more people can work because they are healthier, less money spent on illness, increased employment and increased income… (Clean Air Act and Economy). It is clear that strict pollution laws do not harm