Each of the air programs was created as the result of individual programmatic needs:
- The Toxics Release Inventory was created because of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act.
- Clean Air Markets programs were created due to the market-based mechanisms introduced in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments.
- The Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program was created as directed by the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act.
- The National Emissions Inventory was created to evaluate the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.