Environmental_Laws__Clean_Air_Act

Environmental Laws: Clean Air Act By Mark Cain AIU Online Unit 5 IP Environmental Science Sandra Flemming 9/12/2012   Abstract This report is a study of economics and environmental laws. This particular report will examine the impact of the Clean Air Act of 1970 on the economy. The report will discuss when the law was passed and any amendments that were made to the law. The report will go from there to discuss what provisions the law governs. Next this report will examine what lead to the passing of the law to begin with. The report will answer why the law was passed. Next the law will examine what economic impact was generated by the passing of this law. The report will take a look at costs, fines, and economic benefits of the passing of the Clean Air Act. The report will share economic data related to the passing of this law. Finally the report will answer whether or not I think the law has improved the environment. I will answer why I do or why I don’t think there has been any improvements.   Environmental Laws: Clean Air Act Introduction I live in a rural area. The air is relatively clean. In the past, I have lived in urban areas that are full of smog and other air pollutants. As a result of this rampant pollution; the government made a decision. In 1970, they passed the Clean Air Act (Brief History of the Clean Air Act, 2000). Let’s take a look at this law in more detail. Description and provisions of the Clean Air Act The Clean Air Act (CAA) is the law that allows the government to regulate emissions from sources that mobile and stationary (Summary of the Clean Air Act, 2012). The law also allowed the establishment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) by the EPA (2012). In 1970, the law allowed for the establishment of State Implementation Plans (SIPs), New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), and National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) in addition to the NAAQS (History of the Clean Air Act, 2012). Within 20 years of the passing of that act, there were amendments made to the act. In 1977 and 1970, amendments were passed to set new deadlines for areas of the country that had failed to meet the deadlines established by the act in 1970 (Summary of the Clean Air Act, 2012). The deadlines were set for these areas to establish and come into compliance with ordinances put in place by the CAA of 1970 (2012). The basic provisions of the CAA are as follows: 1. Set national health-based air quality standards and protect against common pollutants and smog 2. State governments are to devise clean-up plans that meet national health standards by a specific date 3. The EPA sets national standards for new sources of air pollution and 4. Developing controls for major sources of toxic pollutants (What is the Clean Air Act', 1999). CAA Background By 1970, air quality was bad after nearly a century of fuel combustion engines and factory emissions. One of the biggest events that lead to the passing of the CAA was an incident involving smog in 1948. On October 26, 1948 an atmospheric inversion prevented the coal plant from dispersing its smog and emissions (DiPeso, 2011). Instead of the smog rising into the atmosphere, the smog was dispersed at ground level. Over the next few days, the smog just lingered. People went about their business not thinking anything about the smog. They just saw it as a by-product of living in a mill town. The smog was so thick that the people at the Friday night football game had difficulty seeing the opposing teams fans across the field (2011). The town doctor advised people to leave if they could. By the time the air lifted and carried the smog away 20 people had died and 14,000 citizens fell ill. The CAA was inspired by this moment in American history. This event inspired the passing of the law and invention of new technology for cleaning up factory and automotive emissions (2011). Economic Impact Imagine the benefits of the CAA in terms of investments. What if I told you that there was an investment property that you could invest in with a 2,400% return' The investment property is the CAA. Take a look at these statistics. The ultimate goal of this investment is to protect the public. For 50 billion dollars, public health and environmental benefits produced $1.3 trillion in 2010 (Johnson, 2011). Compare this to the gross domestic product (GDP). This is a value worth more than 9% of the GDP for a cost of only .4% of the GDP. Compare that to the defense budget where we spend 5% of the GDP on the 2010 budget (2011). In benefits, that’s a ratio of 23 to 1 (2011). By 2020, that is going to grow to a $2 trillion in benefits at a cost of $65 billion (2011). It is predicted that the CAA will contribute to the creation of new jobs. Businesses that received the biggest impact of CAA regulations stand to gain the most. New environmental technology is a big boost in the job market (2011). Who knew that improving the environment could lead to an economic boon' Has it worked' At first glance, it looks like the government encroaching in on private businesses. There are signs that the law has worked. According to the EPA within the first 20 years of the CAA; “205,000 premature deaths, 843,000 asthma attacks, and 18 million child respiratory illnesses in the year 1990” were prevented by moves set into place by the CAA (The Clean Air Act: Protecting Human Health and the Environment Since 1970 as the US Economy has Grown, 2011). By 2020 it is predicted that 17 million lost work days due to illness will have been prevented because of cleaner air (2011). Between 1970 and 2009, six of the leading air pollutants dropped by 63% (2011). Jobs in the private sector and GDP grew by 86% and 204% respectively (2011). Has it worked' Conclusion Has it worked' People lie. Numbers do not lie. People can manipulate numbers to express what they want them to express. However, these numbers are backed by sound science and 40 years of economic and health related results. These health related results are results that scream that cleaning the environment works. Without the laws regulating these practices, I don’t think we would put them into practice on our own. To conclude, I would say that looking at the evidence, we are on the way to reclaiming the natural world.   References What is the Clean Air Act' (1999). Retrieved from Clean Air Trust: http://www.cleanairtrust.org/cleanairact.html Brief History of the Clean Air Act. (2000). Retrieved from Renewable Energy Policy Project: http://www.repp.org/repp_pubs/articles/issuebr15/02intCAA.htm The Clean Air Act: Protecting Human Health and the Environment Since 1970 as the US Economy has Grown. (2011, November 25). Retrieved from Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/air/sect812/economy.html History of the Clean Air Act. (2012, February 17). Retrieved from US EPA: http://epa.gov/air/caa/caa_history.html Summary of the Clean Air Act. (2012, August 23). Retrieved from Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/laws/caa.html DiPeso, J. (2011, October 30). Remembering Donora, Pa., on the Anniversary of its Deadly Smog Incident. Retrieved from The Daily Green: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/blogs/republican/donora-pa-smog-1011 Johnson, L. (2011, March 1). Gains from Clean Air Act: Bull Market Without the Bust. Retrieved from Natural Resources Defense Counsil: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ljohnson/gains_from_clean_air_act_a_bul.html