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Chapter Eleven Environmental and Energy Policy1‹#.docx
- 1. Chapter Eleven: Environmental and Energy Policy 1 ‹#› 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? 2 ‹#› What Does Environmental Policy Address? How Has It Evolved? 3
- 2. ‹#› 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 4 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 5 Environmental Policy (cont’d) Many actors and interest groups
- 3. States have a very strong role: implement the federal policies Regulatory solutions historically favored command and control Public opinion is a major player 6 Collaborative decision-making=industry and other interest groups work with government to make & implement policy ‹#› 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/ ‹#› 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
- 4. Now, from domestic concerns to global concerns 8 Notice These Themes: Tension between business and environmental interests Partisan disagreement Perspectives on the “truth” of science vary Shift from domestic to global issues 9 What Are the Major Federal Environmental Policies? 10 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 11 First major federal policy –
- 5. ‹#› 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) ‹#› 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 13 ‹#› Major Statutes (cont’d)
- 6. 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 15 16 Figure 11-1 ‹#›
- 7. 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 17 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/ ‹#› 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 18
- 8. What Natural Resource Policies are in Place? 19 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 20 Clip Art photo ‹#› 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)
- 9. 21 ‹#› 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 22 Clip Art photo. ‹#› 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
- 10. 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 25 The Emergent Patterns of Climate Change Video: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrJJxn-gCdo) Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrJJxn-gCdo ‹#› 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)
- 11. 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) ‹#› 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. ‹#› 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 29
- 12. 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 30 U.S. Energy Information Administration: http://www.eia.gov/countries/ ‹#› 31 Source: US Energy Administration ‹#› Climate Change Intergovernmental panel on climate change 32 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
- 13. of climate change. ‹#› 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 33 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? 34 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 ‹#›
- 14. Obama’s Policy Initiatives American Investment and Recovery Act, 2009 (Stimulus) Environment and Energy –$50 billion What the stimulus invested in He has made enemies on both sides Support for nuclear energy Limited off-shore drilling US coastlines for oil 35 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 ‹#› 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. 36 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. ‹#›
- 15. Emerging Energy/Resource Issues Policies to address the tragedy of commons Shared benefits in the form of catch shares International reciprocity agreements 37 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. ‹#› Emerging Energy/Resource Issues 38 Fracking for natural gas Clip Art photo. ‹#› Emerging Energy/Resource Issues Tar Sands KeystoneXL Pipeline 39 ‹#› Emerging Energy/Resource Issues Nuclear Power Zero greenhouse gas emissions and highly efficient - huge
- 16. 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 40 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? 41 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. ‹#› 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)? 42
- 17. 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? ‹#› 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? 43