Explanation
- A
Locomotives using fossil fuels
Locomotives. A source of SO2, not the EPA’s largest.
- B
Ships using fossil fuels
Ships. Marine fuel sulphur is regulated; not the top EPA source.
- C
Extraction of metals from ores
Metal extraction. Smelters emit SO2; not the largest EPA category here.
- D
Power plants using fossil fuels
Fossil-fuel power plants. EPA’s largest SO2 source.
Summary. Official key is (d) power plants using fossil fuels. The US EPA has long identified coal- and oil-fired electricity generation as the largest source of sulphur dioxide. Locomotives, ships and ore smelting emit SO2 but are not the top EPA category in this question.
Same topic · past papers
UPSC has asked this before
These previous-year questions sit on the same topic. Open one to practise the earlier ask.
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