Berne was settled in 1852 by Mennonite immigrants who came directly from Switzerland, and named the community for the capital of Switzerland. They began the chore of preparing for farming by clearing the land.
Intentions, however, were not always equal to actions. Implementation of the Clean Air Amendments was made difficult by a reluctant automobile industry and the energy crisis of the early 1970s. The 1970 act gave the auto industry a temporary way out of meeting the tougher standards.
Congress passed the core provisions of the Clean Air Act in 1970. The law was amended in 1977 and again in 1990 to extend deadlines but also to specify new strategies for cleaning up the air. The basic framework of the law and its public health objective have remained intact.