1. Cost Benefit Analysis

2. Modern U.S. Environmental Policy
Lesson 2.2 United States Environmental Policy
Modern U.S. Environmental Policy
National Environmental Policy Act: Requires government agencies and contractors to evaluate the environmental impact of a project; led to the formation of the EPA
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Responsible for monitoring, enforcing, and researching environmental quality

3. Environmental Impact Statement
A plan that explains how a proposed action will impact the environment and any alternatives that were considered
Example: building a camp ground in the forest
Building a dam on a river
Putting in a new freeway
Building an oil pipeline

4. Keystone XL Pipeline

5. Keystone XL environmental impact statement
Impact to aquifers
Impact to land (agriculture and nature preserves)
Impact to people’s property

6. Cost Benefit analysis https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/39/775.11
Cost benefit analysis is used in the process of writing an environmental impact statement
It looks at what is sacrificed and what is gained OR PROs and CONS
Costs can be: money and negative impacts to the environment, people, the economy
Benefits can be: profit, positive impacts to the environment, people, or the economy

7. Costs and Benefits of Keystone XL Pipeline
Costs Benefits
Money to build pipeline more oil for gasoline
Pollute groundwater jobs
Taking people’s property friendly country to work with
Disrupting critical wildlife habitat