Ohio, West Virginia, and New York are some of the nation's leaders in producing sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides — chemicals which contribute to acid rain. But according to Penn State Forest Hydrology Professor Bill Sharpe, it's not so easy to blame Pennsylvania's acid rain problems on the state's neighbors

"The problem in Pennsylvania is that we're also a major coal producing state, so in terms of fishery resources and water quality it's been fairly well documented that our problems are as bad if not worse than elsewhere in the Northeast."

Sharpe says acid rain can wipe out fish populations in small streams. But he says there's also growing evidence that acid rain is causing the decline of trees in Pennsylvania forests, like the sugar maple.

"Where these problems are worst is where the soils are the most acid and the aluminum is highest. The trees that are disappearing are the ones that are sensitive, so that also circumstantially supports the case."

Sharpe says the best ways to deal with acid rain... are to cut back on pollution, and to find ways to neutralize acidity in forests soils.

More information's available on the web at GreenWorks.tv. I'm Brad Linder.