1. Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings PowerPoint ® Slides prepared by Jay Withgott and Heidi Marcum Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings fgh sfg dfg PowerPoint ® Slides prepared by Jay Withgott and Heidi Marcum Ch 3 Environmental Policy: Decision Making and Problem Solving Part 1: Foundations of Environmental Science Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings

2. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Why are environmental laws unpopular? Environmental laws are challenged, derided, and ignored Environmental policy involves government regulations Businesses and individuals view laws as overly restrictive and unresponsive to human needs Most environmental problems are long-term processes Human behavior is geared toward short-term needs News media have short attention spans Politicians act out of their own short-term interest

3. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Results from actions of the three branches of government Legislative branch = creates statutory law Executive branch = enacts or vetoes legislation -Issues executive orders Judicial branch = interprets laws Administrative agencies = the “fourth branch” -Established by the president or Congress Framework of U.S. policy

4. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Early U.S. environmental policy Involved management of public lands, 1780s to the late 1800s Promoted settlement Extraction of natural resources Increased prosperity Relieved crowding in Eastern cities Displaced millions of Native Americans People believed that land was infinite and inexhaustible

5. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings The second wave of U.S. policy Addressed impacts caused by the first wave Public perception and government policy shifted Mitigated environmental problems associated with westward expansion Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first national park, opened in 1872 Other protected areas were created National wildlife refuges, parks, and forests Reflected a new understanding that the West’s resources were exhaustible and required legal protection

6. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings The third wave of U.S. environmental policy Mid-to late-20th century Better off economically But dirtier air, dirtier water, and more waste and toxic chemicals Increased awareness of environmental problems shifted public priorities and policy 1962: Silent Spring (by Rachel Carson) described the negative ecological and health effects of pesticides and industrial chemicals

7. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Modern U.S. environmental policy The Cuyahoga River was polluted with oil and industrial waste It caught fire in the 1950s and 1960s Today, public enthusiasm for environmental protection remains strong The majority of Americans favor environmental protection In April, millions of people celebrate Earth Day

8. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 1970 began the modern era of environmental policy Created the Council on Environmental Quality -Requires an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for any federal action that might impact the environment NEPA forces the government and businesses to evaluate the environmental impacts of a project

9. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings The EPA shifts environmental policy Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Conducts and evaluates research Monitors environmental quality Sets and enforces standards for pollution levels Assists states in meeting standards and goals Educates the public

10. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Significant environmental laws The public demanded a cleaner environment and supported tougher environmental legislation

11. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings The social context for policy can change Three factors converged to allow major advances in environmental policy in the 1960s and 1970s Wide evidence of environmental problems People could visualize policies to deal with problems The political climate was ripe, with a supportive public and leaders who were willing to act In recent years, the political climate has changed People felt burdened by environmental regulations Attempts have been made to roll back or weaken environmental laws

12. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Future environmental policies Will depend on having the American environmental movement reinvent its approach It needs to appeal to people’s core values Start showing why these problems are actually human issues and affect our quality life Future policies need to articulate a positive, inspiring vision for the future Currently, the United States has retreated from its leadership Other nations have increased their attention to environmental issues

13. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Six steps to making environmental policy Requires curiosity, observation, awareness

14. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Step 2 Involves scientific research and Risk assessment = judging risks a problem poses to health or the environment

15. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Step 3 Risk management = developing strategies to minimize risk Involves social or political action

16. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Step 4 Organizations are more effective than individuals But a motivated, informed individual can also succeed

17. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Step 5 Lobbying = spending time and money to influence a politician Environmental advocates are not the most influential lobbyists Political Action Committees (PACs) = raise money for political campaigns The revolving door = the movement of people between the private sector and government Intimate knowledge of an issue or conflict of interest?

18. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Step 6 Prepare a bill, or draft law, containing solutions Following a law’s enactment Administrative agencies implement regulations Policymakers evaluate the policy’s successes or failures The judicial branch interprets the law

19. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Science plays a role, but can be politicized Effective policy decisions are informed by scientific research Sometimes policymakers ignore science They let political ideology determine policy Scientists at government agencies have had their work suppressed or discredited -Their jobs were threatened When taxpayer-funded research is suppressed or distorted for political ends, everyone loses

20. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Approaches to environmental policy Command-and-control approach: environmental policy sets rules or limits and threatens punishment for violators Heavy-handed Alternative approaches involve using economic incentives to encourage desired outcomes and use market dynamics to meet goals Most current environmental laws -Have resulted in safe, healthy, comfortable lives

21. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings What is the optimal amount of pollution? (If there is such a thing?) If pollution exceeds the optimum amount of pollution –the harm done exceeds the cost to reduce it. If pollution is small it may cost too much to control the small amount.

22. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Clean Water Act The Clean Water Act is a 1977 amendment to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 Set the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants in the US The law gave EPA the authority to set water quality standards for industry and for all contaminants in surface waters Attain water quality levels that make these waterways safe to fish and/or swim in Restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's water The CWA makes it unlawful for any person to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters unless a permit (NPDES) is obtained The amounts and types of pollutants than can be discharged or allowed to run in to waters from watersheds are regulated Environmental Science ENSC 2800 - Pollution in the Bay-Delta

23. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Drawbacks of command-and-control Government actions may be well-intentioned but not informed Interest groups–people seeking private gain–unduly influence politicians Citizens may view policies as restrictions on freedom Costly and less efficient in achieving goals

24. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Widespread economic policy tools Tax breaks = encourage desirable industries or activities Subsidy = a government giveaway of cash or resources to encourage a particular activity Have been used to support unsustainable activities In 2003, $58 billion of taxpayer’s money was spent on 68 environmentally harmful subsidies such as building logging roads

25. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Another economic policy tool Green taxes = taxes on environmentally harmful activities Polluter pays principle = the price of a good or service includes all costs, including environmental degradation Gives companies financial incentives to reduce pollution But, costs are passed on to consumers

26. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Market permitting and incentives Permit trading = government-created market in permits Businesses buy, sell, trade these permits Emissions trading system = government-issued permits for an acceptable amount of pollution and companies buy, sell, or trade these permits with other polluters Cap-and-trade system = a party that reduces its pollution levels can sell this credit to other parties -Pollution is reduced overall, but does increase around polluting plants Companies have an economic incentive to reduce emissions

27. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Approaches to Environmental Policy  Tax it  Subsidize it  Provide a tax break  Regulate it  Cap and trade  Tradable environmental permits  Ban it  Phase it out  Fines  Prohibit trade  Inspections

28. Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Conclusion Environmental policy is a problem-solving tool Uses science, ethics and economics Conventional command-and-control approach Uses legislation and regulations Most common approach Market-based incentives Can be more complicated but can be less expensive