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Federal Initiatives in the Environmental Decade: 1970s

Federal Initiatives in the Environmental Decade: 1970s. Environmental Protection Act 1970 Creates Environmental Protection Agency Gave it the authority to regulate the nation’s air and water quality

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Federal Initiatives in the Environmental Decade: 1970s

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  1. Federal Initiatives in the Environmental Decade: 1970s • Environmental Protection Act 1970 • Creates Environmental Protection Agency • Gave it the authority to regulate the nation’s air and water quality • Requires federal agencies or governments receiving federal aid to prepare an analysis of the effects of any development—known as environmental impact statements (EIS)

  2. Early Federal Leadership inCleaning Up the Air • Clean Air Act of 1970 • EPA charged with setting air quality standards nationwide • States required to prepare implementation plans for EPA’s approval • Required automobile manufactures to reduce air emissions by 90 percent • EPA charged with establishing emission standards for power plants • In 1977, Congress amended the act to both expand the EPA’s authority and to extend compliance deadlines

  3. Early Federal Leadership in Improving Water Quality • Before 1972, at least 18,000 communities regularly dumped their untreated raw sewage into nearby rivers and lakes • Industries discharged 25 trillion gallons of waste each year • Before mid-1960s, Congress played marginal role in water quality other than aiding local governments in building sewage plants

  4. Early Federal Leadership in Improving Water Quality(continued) Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 • Required local governments to install secondary sewage treatment facilities by 1977 • Authorized 3:1 federal aid to help pay for them • Authorized EPA to regulate water quality nationwide • 1977 amendments authorized federal aid for sewage treatment plant construction and extended compliance deadlines

  5. Early Federal Leadership in Improving Water Quality(continued) • Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 • Directed EPA to set maximum allowable levels for chemicals and bacteriological pollutants in local water systems

  6. Reagan’s Redirection of Environmental Regulation • Reagan questioned the value of the investments previous presidents had made in federal environmental regulation • Reagan’s EPA director hired attorneys and lobbyists from industries regulated by the EPA • EPA employment dropped about 24 percent, reducing its ability to enforce regulations • Within two years, EPA budget cut by 30 percent • In 1981, EPA lawsuits filed against industries fell from 250 to 78 • However, a veto of 1986 amendments to the Clean Air Act was overridden

  7. Bush and Clinton: More Environmentally Friendly Administrations • Clean Air Acts of 1990 • Gave states time limits within which to bring areas into compliance • Placed new controls on a wider range of emission sources than before, including • Gas stations, body shops, paint manufacturers, industrial-size bakeries, etc.

  8. Clinton Administration ToughensCompliance Standards • In 1997, the EPA announced new standards for air quality • Ozone emissions lowered from 0.12 to 0.08 parts per million • Particulate matter was lowered from 10 microns in diameter to 2.5 • Metropolitan areas have till 2004 to meet the ozone standard and until 2005 for particulate matter • Opponents fought • Many industries, League of Cities, and National Association of Counties • Only the threat of a presidential veto kept the regulations from being changed by Congress

  9. Clinton Administration Toughens Compliance Standards (continued) • In 1999, Clinton announced that light trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) would also be subject to tailpipe emission standards—took effect in 2004

  10. George W. Bush Expanded Market-Based Incentives • Bush proposed the “Clear Skies” plan • Place higher caps on nitrogen oxides starting in 2008 and on sulfur dioxide in 2010 • Place a new cap on mercury emissions

  11. State’s Prominence in Environmental Protection • Although EPA has lead out in environmental protection, states have played a significant role in administering federal policies • Congressional legislation provides for delegation to the states • EPA has delegated oversight of three-fourths of its programs to the states • As a result, states are the primary enforcers of federal environmental laws • States issue about 90 percent of pollution permits and take 75 percent of enforcement action • States gather over 90 percent of all data on air and water quality • States often impose standards tougher than the federal government’s minimum standards—California a leader

  12. Efforts in Promoting Economic Development (continued) • Supply-side incentives • Policy tools used to stimulate economic development such as • Recruitment • Tax abatements • Loans • Physical infrastructure • Relaxing regulations

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