Page 183 - Environment: The Science Behind the Stories

required the company to pay for clean drinking water to be states sit atop the Marcellus Shale, the 250,000-km (95,000-
2
hauled in from outside town. In 2011, however, Pennsylvania mi ) deposit holding some of the most promising gas deposits
2
Governor Tom Corbett ordered an end to the water shipments. in America. Pennsylvania’s political leaders have welcomed the
As publicity built and activists complained that Pennsylva- gas industry with open arms, exempting it from regulations.
nia’s government was not protecting its citizens, the U.S. Envi- New York’s leaders, in contrast, have placed a moratorium on
ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) stepped in, sending federal fracking until further studies can be conducted and political
researchers to run tests of Dimock’s water. Results showed agreements reached. Ohio, Texas, Louisiana, Wyoming, and
elevated levels of several chemicals that could threaten health in other states have encouraged hydrofracking, whereas Vermont
5 out of 64 wells tested, but the EPA stated that Cabot was miti- has banned it completely.
gating these impacts. However, some residents and scientists People differ in their views on the proper role of govern-
suspected influence from industry and politicians and took issue ment, but most would agree that government policy should
with the EPA’s conclusions. The EPA denied such influence, and protect people’s equality of opportunity, promote their eco-
then embarked on a nationwide study of the health and envi- nomic advancement, and safeguard them from undue harm.
ronmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing, due out in late 2014. As we discuss environmental policy, we will see how society
At the state level, governments have responded in various is struggling to balance these aims in the case of natural gas
ways. Pennsylvania and New York offer a study in contrast. Both extraction.

Environmental Policy: development, and environmental policy tries to address them
by balancing the benefits of economic advancement against
An Overview the costs of impacts on human health, social well-being, and
ecological systems.
When a society reaches broad agreement that a problem
exists, it may urge its leaders to resolve the problem with pol-
icy. Policy consists of a formal set of general plans and princi- Environmental policy addresses issues
ples intended to address problems and guide decision making of fairness and resource use
in specific instances. Public policy is policy made by govern-
ments, including those at the local, state, federal, and inter- Because market capitalism is driven by incentives for short-
national levels. Public policy consists of laws, regulations, term economic gain rather than long-term social and environ-
orders, incentives, and practices intended to advance societal mental stability, it provides businesses and individuals little
well-being. Environmental policy is policy that pertains to enticement to minimize environmental impact. Unregulated
our interactions with our environment. It generally aims to
regulate resource use or reduce pollution in order to promote
human welfare and/or protect natural systems.
Forging effective policy requires input from science, eth- Science
ics, and economics. Science provides information and analy-
ses needed to identify and understand problems and devise Information
potential solutions to them (Chapter 1). Ethics and economics and analysis
offer criteria by which to assess problems and help clarify how
society might address them (Chapter 6). Government interacts Private sector Government Citizenry
with individual citizens, organizations, and the private sector Lobbying, Votes,
lobbying,
in various ways to formulate policy (Figure 7.2). campaign campaign
funding,
The ongoing debate over hydraulic fracturing of the legal action funding,
Marcellus Shale illustrates how science, ethics, and econom- legal action
ics each inform and motivate the making of policy. Scientific
research enabled the technological advances that allow us to Advances in Policy Personal
actions and
efficiency and
find and extract fossil fuels, and it provides data on emissions technology consumer
resulting from coal, oil, and natural gas. Science also docu- choices
ments that leaks and spills from gas drilling can pollute the
air and contaminate groundwater, and that hydrofracking can
sometimes cause minor earthquakes.
In economic terms, hydraulic fracturing helps us exploit a Advances in Solutions to
valuable fuel resource that powers our economy and can sub- efficiency and environmental
stitute for dirtier fuel sources. For communities near drilling technology problems
sites, shale gas extraction supplies a short-term boost in jobs
and income while introducing health risks and long-term costs Figure 7.2 Policy plays a central role in how we address
of pollution cleanup. Ethically, hydrofracking can pose prob- environmental problems. Citizens, businesses, and scientific
lems if drilling by private companies pollutes water and air on research inform and influence policymakers. The public policy they
182 which the public relies. Such conflicts commonly result from create can help to produce lasting solutions.

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