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kraft5eppt_chapter11-3.pptxChapter Eleven: Environmental and Energy Policy
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Introduction
What does environmental policy address and how has it evolved?
What are the major U.S. environmental policies? Have they been effective?
What natural resource policies are in place?
How does the U.S. use energy, and what is U.S. energy policy?
What is being done about climate change?
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What Does Environmental Policy Address? How Has It Evolved?
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Environmental Policy at a Crossroad
Narrow View
Humans’ relationship to nature
Human health and the environment
Policy implications
Protection through regulation
Modern, Broader View
Set of natural systems that interact in complex ways
Environment supplies humans (and other species) with necessities for life
Policy implications
Sustainable development
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Environmental Policy: Overview
Definition: Government actions that affect environmental quality and the use of natural resources
Broad in scope, complicated, scientific
Three focus areas:
Pollution control/protection
Resource use and protection
Energy use and conservation
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Environmental Policy (cont’d)
Many actors and interest groups
States have a very strong role: implement the federal policies
Regulatory solutions historically favored
command and control
Public opinion is a major player
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Collaborative decision-making=industry and other interest groups work with government to make & implement policy
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Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Independent executive agency
Reports to and follows lead of current administration
Largest federal agency
10 regional offices work closely with states
Logo Source: http://www.epa.gov/
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History of Environmental Policy: From Consensus to Conflict
Early focus through 1960s: protect resources
1970s: control pollution
1980s-00s: Incremental reform
policy enhancement
Clinton’s collaborative decision making
Since 1980s- mostly conflict and gridlock
Now, from domestic concerns to global concerns
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Notice These Themes:
Tension between business and environmental interests
Partisan disagreement
Perspectives on the “truth” of science vary
Shift from domestic to global issues
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What Are the Major Federal Environmental Policies?
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Early Policies
1969: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
States not protecting the environment
Focused on the process of decision-making
Required Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Assess environmental effects of proposed action
Public scrutiny, consultation with affected parties
Changed the way decisions made about development; still in use today
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First major federal policy –
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How Does NEPA Work?
Video: (http://youtu.be/0DAWOui0UzU)
“NEPA Citizen’s Guide.” Letsbe7, September 24, 2008. Practical and informative video about what the National Environmental Policy Act requires and how it works. (Time: 7:05)
Video: http://youtu.be/0DAWOui0UzU. “NEPA Citizen’s Guide.” Letsbe7, September 24, 2008. Practical and informative video about what the National Environmental Policy Act requires and how it works. (Time: 7:05)
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Seven Major Environmental Protection Statutes
Clean Air Act 1970, amended 1990
Air quality standards, auto emission limits (factories and vehicles), acid rain
Clean Water Act 1972
regulates surface water; “fishable and swimmable”
Identified “impaired waters”
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act 1972
Food safety
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Major Statutes (cont’d)
Safe Drinking Water Act 1974
Health standards for public water supplies
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 1976
Hazardous waste
Toxic Substances Control Act 1976
Regulation of commercial chemicals; red tape, ineffective
Superfund 1980
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
Common Themes of Policies of 1970s
They touch every aspect of our lives
EPA regulates release of pollutants
Emphasize EPA and state command regulations on business and industry
Political
EPA vs. commercial interests
Difficult issues
Science is rarely exact – room for debate
Balancing act between commerce and protection
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Figure 11-1
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Have They Worked?
Hard to evaluate: long term, many factors
Air quality
Overall- cleaner; localized problems
Urban air quality better
Water quality
Drinking water - better
Surface water - mixed
point-source pollution improved; non-point source
Superfund sites: progress, but costly
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Air: http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.fcsummary&stateid=58
Surface Water: http://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/locate/index.cfm
Superfund sites: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/
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Conflict in the 1980s and 1990s
Conservatives – too much regulation
Industry: concerned effects on economy
Reagan and Bush policies
Attempted to roll back many statutes, but little happened
Public opinion: protect the environment
Congress strengthened air and hazardous waste policies
Conflict continues today
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What Natural Resource Policies are in Place?
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Natural Resource Policies
Traditionally: Conserve land, forests, parks, animals
Goals: effective, efficient, equitable use of resources
Major tool: government management
Continuing tension:
commerce vs. environment
Mining, timber industry
Development
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Clip Art photo
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Major Natural Resource Policies
National Environmental Policy Act (1969)
Federal Land Policy and Management Act (1976)
National Forest Management Act (1976)
Public input into land use planning
Manage public resources
Broader perspective on resource use issues – not just economic issues
Endangered Species Act (1973)
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Endangered Species Act 1973
Controversial
Conservation goals vs. economic interests
Government got broader authority to protect habitats
Bald eagles and wolves – coming back, new issues
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Clip Art photo.
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Have Natural Resources Been Protected?
Acreage of protected land up
Some endangered animal species better off
Healthy ecosystems?
Mixed
How do you measure health of an ecosystem?
Difficult to measure
Emerging concern: water resources
Emerging Policy Tools for Protecting Natural Resources
Reduce subsidies for resource use (mining, timber, oil and gas exploration)
Impose user fees
More control for state and local governments
Sustainable development movement
Ecosystem-based management
Better measurements of environmental quality
Energy Policy and Climate Change
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The Emergent Patterns of Climate Change
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrJJxn-gCdo
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Carbon Emissions
Video: (http :// youtu.be/3Zo8YqQU2zg)
“Obama’s action on carbon emissions angers Congress.” CNN. June 2, 2014. News story about Obama’s use of executive orders on regulating power plant emissions. (Time: 2:47)
Video: http://youtu.be/3Zo8YqQU2zg. “Obama’s action on carbon emissions angers Congress.” CNN. June 2, 2014. News story about Obama’s use of executive orders on regulating power plant emissions. (Time: 2:47)
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U.S. Energy Policy
No comprehensive energy policy
Gridlock...incremental
CAFE standards rose in 2007
2005 Energy Policy Act (Bush 2)
Domestic production of fossil fuels
Nuclear expansion (funding issue)
Protected Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from drilling
Clip Art photo.
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U.S. Energy Policy
Planned stricter regulations of emissions and a push for investment in renewable energy
EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions and Obama administration’s response to climate change reports
Most progress led by Executive Orders by the President due to severe gridlock in Congress
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How Do We Use Energy?
U.S. Energy Information Administration
Most energy used in U.S. comes from petroleum
Majority is imported
Yet - top U.S. export is refined petroleum
Most used for transportation or manufacturing
Alternative energy slowly increasing
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U.S. Energy Information Administration: http://www.eia.gov/countries/
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Source: US Energy Administration
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Climate Change
Intergovernmental panel on climate change
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http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/12/05/world/climate-graphic-background.html?ref=world#tab=2
Very neat graphic tool showing pictures and maps about impacts of climate change.
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Recent Policy Proposals
Increased bipartisan support for energy policy
Cap and Trade policy proposals
Government issues permits to businesses to release carbon (caps number of permits/level of emissions)
Companies can buy and sell the permits (trade)
Over time, reduce the emission permit levels available
Market incentives to reduce emissions
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Climate Security Act proposal (2008)
Video: Bipartisan : Lieberman-Warner
Cap and trade market mechanism
Carbon capture and filtration – coal producers
Alternative energy investment
Cleaner cars
Research
One of largest spending bills ever considered by Congress (until then)
Ultimately failed. What happened? Why?
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Bipartisan: Lieberman-Warner - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/heat/view/9.html
Frontline video – cue to Chapter 9. This video has a nice explanation of Cap & Trade policy
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Obama’s Policy Initiatives
American Investment and Recovery Act, 2009 (Stimulus)
Environment and Energy –$50 billion
He has made enemies on both sides
Support for nuclear energy
Limited off-shore drilling US coastlines for oil
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Environment and Energy –$61 billion
http://www.energy.gov/recovery/breakdown.htm
http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/STIMULUS_FINAL_0217.html NY Times article
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Emerging Energy/Resource Issues
Tragedy of the Commons and seafood
A major natural resource issue focuses not on energy, but on global food supply. With global collapses of the fishing industry, how does a very international issue get solved through domestic policy? Explain the tragedy of the commons as it concerns global fisheries and what dire outcomes have resulted.
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A major natural resource issue focuses not on energy, but on global food supply. With global collapses of the fishing industry, how does a very international issue get solved through domestic policy? Explain the tragedy of the commons as it concerns global fisheries and what dire outcomes have resulted.
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Emerging Energy/Resource Issues
Policies to address the tragedy of commons
Shared benefits in the form of catch shares
International reciprocity agreements
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Extremely effective policy has been introduced to address collapsing fisheries, and it revolves around quotas and shared benefits. Sustainability is a major goal here. Discuss the details of these issues and provide this as an example of domestic and international success regarding a natural resource issue.
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Emerging Energy/Resource Issues
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Fracking for natural gas
Clip Art photo.
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Emerging Energy/Resource Issues
Tar Sands
KeystoneXL Pipeline
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Emerging Energy/Resource Issues
Nuclear Power
Zero greenhouse gas emissions and highly efficient - huge energy output
Hit and miss internationally in terms of policy
Majority of France’s energy needs come from nuclear
Germany is phasing out its nuclear power in the wake of Fukushima
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Emerging Energy/Resource Issues
Nuclear (cont’d)
Is it worth it?
What do we do with waste?
Have Chernobyl and Fukushima demonstrated it is unsafe?
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All of these energy and resource issues can make for great debate topics in-class, notably the nuclear debate. It can be an excellent way to engage the students with the issues and demonstrate how complicated energy and resource policy can be when considering costs and benefits.
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Environmental Policy and Ethics
Many policies can be practical, but should we also consider whether we ought to adopt them for moral reasons?
Do we consider future generations (intergenerational equity)?
Is it right or fair that Kyoto puts the burden of emissions reduction on developed countries?
If we screwed things up, does that obligate us to fix it (think climate change)?
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These will make for excellent discussion topics as well. For example, why consider people who don’t even exist – whose energy needs and environmental state we can’t yet know? Is it responsible or a wasted effort? Even though developed countries are responsible for most of the historic emissions and continue to emit heavily, shouldn’t emerging massive economies like India, China, or Brazil also be forced to reduce emissions? Do we let them fully industrialize because it’s fair? Is it per capita emissions that really matters, in which case the developed world is still well beyond the developing with regard to emissions? Do we have a moral obligation to address climate change due to our causing it, or do we just accept things as they are and learn to live in a changing global climate? How might policy address these difficult questions and ethical issues?
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Wrap-Up
Three areas of focus:
Environmental protection: pollution control
Protection of natural resources
Energy policy and global warming
Themes:
Economic conditions prevent investing in environment
Expensive to wait
Science is central, but not 100% sure
Must transition from fossil fuels…but which policies to employ?
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