Unit II Discussion - Environmental Legislation

10/27/2017

Belden, Roy S., Clean Air Act, American Bar Association: Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, 2001 (Pgs. 5-21)

Question 1 (Florida Environmental Justice): What is the value of programs, like the Legal Environmental Assistance Foundation, in addressing environmental and social issues? What is the connection between environmental degradation and social equality, explain using examples from the article, and an outside example.

Question 2 (Environmental Legislation): Russell Train, former administrator of the Environmentall Protection Agency (EPA) wrote in 1973 that, "the average is citizen... beginning to recognize that there were difficult choices to be made,that some cherished patterns of behavior may have to be modified."
- What does he mean by both statements? (difficult choices, and behavioral changes) Use examples from the article for each statement, and make a connection to present debates going on about the environment.

Honors Question (San Francisco Bay): Walk through the process the BCDC legislation went through in order to get passed. What were some of the particular challenges it faced at each step? In your opinion, and using examples from the article, is the process of forming new legislation too complicated or is it proper in order to determine appropriate input?

Florida Environmental Justice
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San Francisco Bay
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Environmental Legislation
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1 Comment

Matilda

10/27/2019 10:42:51 pm

1) these programs show the connection between economic stability and environmental health and give the low-income members of a community a voice regarding health needs and services which should be provided. Environmental degradation puts the economy and public health at risk, which can put both workers and citizens working and living in polluted areas at risk. For example, birth defects can be caused by maternal exposure to pollutants in these communities and underground petroleum storage tanks pose a great risk to public health. In addition, workers can be harmed in the process of drilling for oil.

2) Train means that the difficult choices to be made are industrial — environmentally harmful though conviennent processes versus less efficient or banned but environmentally-friendly processes. He means that behaviors must be changed regarding human treatment of the environment, including neglect of the harm of pollution and dwindling populations of various species. The Clean Air Act called to governmental and public attention a need to set and adhere to air quality standards, putting a limit on how far industrial facilities, such as power plants, can go in their waste output. This is a difficult industrial choice, as it limits energetic output. In addition, the Clean Water Act required the states to establish water-quality standards the Nation’s waters, forcing state governments to manage their waters in relation to one another. This action affects how the states interact with each other regarding interstate policy. Similarly, the Coastal Zone Management Act requires the states to develop plans for future coastal developments, forcing the states once again to focus on the environment in their policy-making. The Endangered Species Act protects endangered populations from human disruption, which affects how humans both on a personal and industrial scale interact with the environment.

3) The BCDC legislation passage process began in 1961 and ended in 1969, spanning almost a decade. In the first two years of the process, Nicholas Petris, the State Assemblyman of the Berkeley area, introduced bills in the California Assembly calling for moratorium on bay-fill. He saw both of those bills die in committee. It was not until 1963 that a bill establishing the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) as a temporary agency was passed. While the BCDC was not an official agency, it was still able to take action for its cause, having been tasked with preparing an enforceable and comprehensive plan for the Bay’s conservation and shoreline development. The process for forming new legislation may be lengthy, but the establishment of the BCDC as a temporary agency with some agency itself during the legislative process shows that the legislative process does not completely halt progress of a potential agency.

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Unit II Discussion - Environmental Legislation

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