Standards Comparison

    CAA

    Mandatory
    1970

    U.S. federal law regulating air emissions and quality standards

    VS

    MAS TRM

    Mandatory
    2021

    Singapore guidelines for technology risk management in finance.

    Quick Verdict

    CAA mandates US air emission standards and permitting for industries, while MAS TRM provides technology risk guidelines for Singapore financial institutions. Companies use CAA for environmental compliance; MAS TRM for cyber resilience and supervisory adherence.

    Air Quality

    CAA

    Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. §7401 et seq.)

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    Medium
    Implementation Time
    18-24 months

    Key Features

    • Establishes NAAQS for six criteria pollutants protecting health
    • Mandates SIPs for state attainment and nonattainment planning
    • Imposes NSPS and MACT technology-based emission standards
    • Requires Title V permits consolidating all requirements
    • Enables enforcement via penalties, sanctions, citizen suits
    Technology Risk Management

    MAS TRM

    MAS Technology Risk Management Guidelines

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    Medium
    Implementation Time
    12-18 months

    Key Features

    • Board and senior management accountability
    • Proportional risk-based controls
    • Third-party risk integration
    • Annual pen testing for internet systems
    • Defence-in-depth cyber resilience

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    CAA Details

    What It Is

    Clean Air Act (CAA), codified at 42 U.S.C. §7401 et seq., is a comprehensive U.S. federal statute regulating air emissions from stationary and mobile sources. Its primary purpose is protecting public health and welfare through ambient and source-based standards. It employs cooperative federalism, with EPA setting national floors and states implementing via SIPs.

    Key Components

    • NAAQS for six criteria pollutants (primary/secondary standards).
    • SIPs, NSR/PSD permitting, Title V operating permits.
    • Technology standards: NSPS, MACT/NESHAPs, mobile/fuel rules.
    • Specialized programs: acid rain trading (Title IV), ozone protection (Title VI). Compliance via permits, monitoring, enforcement; no formal certification but federally enforceable.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Mandatory for emitters; drives compliance to avoid penalties, sanctions, FIPs. Reduces health/environmental risks, enables permitting for expansions. Builds stakeholder trust, supports ESG via emission reductions.

    Implementation Overview

    Phased: gap analysis, permitting, controls/monitoring installation, reporting. Applies to major sources/industries nationwide; involves SIPs, Title V renewals, audits. High complexity demands cross-functional governance.

    MAS TRM Details

    What It Is

    MAS Technology Risk Management (TRM) Guidelines (January 2021) are supervisory guidelines from Singapore's Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for financial institutions. This risk-based framework promotes sound practices for governing technology and cyber risks, emphasizing proportionality to FI size, complexity, and exposure. Core approach: defence-in-depth across governance, operations, and resilience to protect confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA).

    Key Components

    • 15 sections covering governance, risk frameworks, SDLC, IT service management, resilience, access controls, cryptography, cyber operations, testing, and audit.
    • No fixed control count; principles like board accountability, asset inventories, third-party oversight.
    • Built on CIA triad; aligns with NIST CSF, ISO 27001.
    • Compliance via supervisory review, no formal certification.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Mandatory for MAS-regulated FIs to avoid fines, license actions.
    • Enhances resilience, reduces cyber incidents, integrates TRM into ERM.
    • Builds trust, enables digital innovation securely.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: governance setup, asset inventory, control deployment, testing.
    • Applies to banks, insurers, fintechs in Singapore.
    • Involves audits, no certification; 12-24 months typical.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    CAA
    Air quality standards, emissions, permitting, enforcement
    MAS TRM
    Technology/cyber risk governance, controls, resilience

    Industry

    CAA
    All industries (stationary/mobile sources), US-wide
    MAS TRM
    Financial institutions, Singapore-specific

    Nature

    CAA
    Federal statute with mandatory enforcement
    MAS TRM
    Supervisory guidelines, proportionate implementation

    Testing

    CAA
    CEMS/stack testing, NSR/PSD modeling, SIP reviews
    MAS TRM
    Penetration testing, vulnerability scans, DR exercises

    Penalties

    CAA
    Civil/criminal fines, sanctions, FIPs
    MAS TRM
    Supervisory actions, fines, license conditions

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about CAA and MAS TRM

    CAA FAQ

    MAS TRM FAQ

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