Page 203 - Environment: The Science Behind the Stories

federal legislation to establish a nationwide program has so appliances, because the rebates can cost the city less than upgrad-
far failed to pass (pp. 530–531). ing its wastewater treatment system. Likewise, power utilities
Emissions trading programs need to be carefully designed, sometimes offer discounts to customers who buy high-efficiency
however, to be effective. In the European Union Emission lightbulbs and appliances, because doing so is cheaper for the
Trading Scheme, nations allocated too many permits, causing utilities than expanding the generating capacity of their plants.
their price to fall as supply outstripped demand. Because of The creative use of economic policy tools is growing at
this overallocation, the program has largely failed to provide all levels, while command-and-control regulation and legal
industries adequate financial incentive to reduce emissions. action in the courts continue to play vital roles in environmen-
tal policymaking. As a result, we have a variety of effective
policy strategies available to us as we seek sustainable solu-
WEIGHING tHE ISSUES tions to our society’s challenges.
a lICENSE to PollUtE? Some environmental advocates
oppose emissions trading because they view it as giving pol- Conclusion
luters “a license to pollute.” How do you feel about emissions
trading as a means of reducing air pollution? Would you favor Environmental policy is a problem-solving tool that makes
command-and-control regulation instead? What advantages use of science, ethics, and economics and that requires an
and disadvantages do you see in each approach? astute understanding of the political process. Conventional
command-and-control approaches of legislation and regula-
tion remain the most common approaches to policymaking,
Market incentives also operate but tort law retains influence, and innovative market-based
at the local level policy tools are increasingly being developed. Historically,
the United States has often led the way with environmental
You may have already taken part in transactions involving finan- policy, but environmental issues often span political bound-
cial incentives as policy tools. Many municipalities charge resi- aries and require international cooperation. By integrating
dents for waste disposal according to the amount of waste they the fundaments of environmental policy introduced in this
generate. Other cities place taxes or disposal fees on items whose chapter with your knowledge of the natural sciences, you
safe disposal is costly, such as tires and motor oil. Still others will be well equipped to develop your own creative solu-
give rebates to residents who buy water-efficient toilets and tions to many of our society’s most challenging problems.

reviewing objectives

You should now be able to: Identify the institutions important to U.S.
environmental policy and recognize major U.S.
environmental laws
Describe environmental policy and assess its societal
context • The legislative, executive, and judicial branches, together
with administrative agencies, all play roles in U.S. environ-
• Policy is a tool for decision making and problem solving mental policy. (pp. 187–189)
that makes use of information from science and values
from ethics and economics. (p. 182) • Courts have constrained the power of government regula-
tions by seeking to prevent regulatory takings. (pp. 188–189)
• Environmental policy aims to protect natural resources and
environmental amenities from degradation or depletion • State and local governments also implement environmental
and to promote equitable treatment of people. It addresses policy. (pp. 189–190)
the tragedy of the commons, free riders, and external costs. • U.S. environmental policy came in three waves. The first
(pp. 182–183, 186)
promoted frontier expansion and resource extraction. The
• In a democracy, anyone can have a voice in policy, but cor- second aimed to mitigate impacts of the first through con-
porations and well-funded organizations tend to exert the servation. The third targeted pollution and gave us many of
most influence. (pp. 186–187) today’s major environmental laws. (pp. 191–192)

• Far-reaching developments from 1970 were enactment of
Discuss the role of science in policymaking
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), establish-
• Data from scientific research are vital for informing policy. ment of the EIS process, and creation of the Environmental
(p. 187) Protection Agency (EPA). (pp. 192–193)
• Policymakers may sometimes ignore or distort science for • Major U.S. environmental laws include the Clean Air Act,
political ends, so we in the public need to remain vigilant. the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and
202 (p. 187) others. (pp. 193–194)

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