Environmental Policy

Amanda Valtin, Courtney Amanda Valtin, Courtney Whitney, Alex StilsonWhitney, Alex Stilson

Environmental PolicyEnvironmental Policy

Why it is so controversial…Why it is so controversial…• Environmental policy creates winners Environmental policy creates winners

and losersand losers• Scientific uncertaintyScientific uncertainty• Resistance by some groupsResistance by some groups• Affects how the government deals Affects how the government deals

with states and other nationswith states and other nations

Policies are not flexiblePolicies are not flexible• Policies are universal for the entire Policies are universal for the entire

countrycountry• Creates conflictCreates conflict• In England, laws are not universal In England, laws are not universal

(more flexible)(more flexible)

The EPAThe EPA• The ‘Environmental The ‘Environmental Protection Agency’Protection Agency’• Created by Nixon in 1970Created by Nixon in 1970• Activists advertise dangers of Activists advertise dangers of

harming the environmentharming the environment• Entrepreneurial politics – a small Entrepreneurial politics – a small

group pays, everyone benefitsgroup pays, everyone benefits

Some other groups that are Some other groups that are involved…involved…• Council on Environmental PolicyCouncil on Environmental Policy• Department of EnergyDepartment of Energy• National Oceanic and Atmospheric National Oceanic and Atmospheric

AdministrationAdministration• National Wildlife FederationNational Wildlife Federation• Wilderness SocietyWilderness Society

Teddy RooseveltTeddy Roosevelt• Studied natural sciences at HarvardStudied natural sciences at Harvard• Created many national parksCreated many national parks• Set up forest preserves, wildlife Set up forest preserves, wildlife

refugesrefuges• Inspired the invention of the Inspired the invention of the

teddy bearteddy bear

Court case example…Court case example…• Tennessee Valley Authority v. Hill Tennessee Valley Authority v. Hill

(1978)(1978)• Tested Endangered Species ActTested Endangered Species Act• Building dam might wipe out Building dam might wipe out

endangered fish speciesendangered fish species• Court ruled in favor of not building Court ruled in favor of not building

damdam

Laws…Laws…• Environmental Policy Act (1969)Environmental Policy Act (1969)• Clean Water Act (1972)Clean Water Act (1972)• Environmental Quality Act (1970)Environmental Quality Act (1970)• Endangered Species Act (1973)Endangered Species Act (1973)

Modern policies and Modern policies and issues…issues…• Alternate fuel options to replace Alternate fuel options to replace

gasolinegasoline• Global warming Global warming • More public focus on the More public focus on the

environment and ways to save environment and ways to save energyenergy

People care about the People care about the environment when…environment when…

• The issue directly impacts citizensThe issue directly impacts citizens• It is big in the news, affects a lot of It is big in the news, affects a lot of

peoplepeople• Ex: oil/chemical spillsEx: oil/chemical spills

The Anti-Environmental The Anti-Environmental MovementMovement

• Mostly associated Mostly associated with businesseswith businesses

• Sometimes use ‘think Sometimes use ‘think tanks’ or tanks’ or organizations to push organizations to push for anti-for anti-environmental environmental legislationlegislation

• Stereotype Stereotype environment activists environment activists as “tree huggers”as “tree huggers”

What about nuclear waste?What about nuclear waste?• Radioactive waste is buried, dumped Radioactive waste is buried, dumped

in the ocean, or is segregated and in the ocean, or is segregated and stored.stored.

• International Atomic Energy Agency International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)(IAEA)

CitationsCitations• "Environmental Policy Act (1969)." "Environmental Policy Act (1969)." American GovernmentAmerican Government. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013. . ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013. • "Green Party Platform (2004)." "Green Party Platform (2004)." American GovernmentAmerican Government. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013. . ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013. • "Jimmy Carter: State of the Union message (1981)." "Jimmy Carter: State of the Union message (1981)." American GovernmentAmerican Government. ABC-CLIO, 2013. . ABC-CLIO, 2013.

Web. 16 Jan. 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013. • "Clean Water Act (1972) with amendments (1977)." "Clean Water Act (1972) with amendments (1977)." American GovernmentAmerican Government. ABC-CLIO, 2013. . ABC-CLIO, 2013.

Web. 16 Jan. 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013. • "Environmental Quality Act (1970)." "Environmental Quality Act (1970)." American GovernmentAmerican Government. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. . ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan.

2013. 2013. • "Endangered Species Act (1973)." "Endangered Species Act (1973)." American GovernmentAmerican Government. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013. . ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013. • "Council on Environmental Quality." "Council on Environmental Quality." American GovernmentAmerican Government. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. . ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan.

2013. 2013. • "Department of Energy." "Department of Energy." American GovernmentAmerican Government. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013. . ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013. • ""Tennessee Valley Authority v. Hill Tennessee Valley Authority v. Hill (1978)." (1978)." American GovernmentAmerican Government. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 . ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16

Jan. 2013. Jan. 2013. • "National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration." "National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration." American GovernmentAmerican Government. ABC-CLIO, 2013. . ABC-CLIO, 2013.

Web. 16 Jan. 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013. • "National Wildlife Federation." "National Wildlife Federation." American GovernmentAmerican Government. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013. . ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2013. • Vaughn, Jacqueline. "Wilderness Society." Vaughn, Jacqueline. "Wilderness Society." American GovernmentAmerican Government. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16 . ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 16

Jan. 2013. Jan. 2013. • "antienvironmental movement." "antienvironmental movement." American GovernmentAmerican Government. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 18 Jan. 2013. . ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 18 Jan. 2013.