chapter 16
What does NEPA do? (Mark all that apply.)
It directs federal agencies to take environmental consequences into account in decision making. It requires an environmental impact statement to be published for every major federal project likely to have an impact on environmental quality. It authorizes the Council on Environmental Quality.
Countries have begun to recognize the interconnections of protecting our global environment, leading them to sign on to international ________.
policies, agreements, treaties, conventions, or accords
A plan or statement of intentions and rules that outlines acceptable behaviors or accomplishes some end is known as a(n) ______.
policy
The creation of _______in a democratic system include many influences: negotiation, compromise, citizen action, power, money, and open debate.
policy
Environmental _________ involves practices and rules designed to protect natural resources and public health.
policy or law
In the United States, the executive branch is headed by the
president
A public group that is interested in wild birds is concerned that the numbers of certain warbler are dropping dramatically and they want to take action; this is the _______ identification stage of policy creation.
problem
Established environmental groups such as the Sierra Club have the ______ that newer, smaller groups might not have. (Choose all that apply.)
professional staff influence money
Enforcement of international agreements frequently depends on how much a country cares about its ______ with other countries.
reputation
Trade _ can be an effective tool to compel compliance with international treaties as was exhibited with the Montreal Protocol and the encouragement of reduced CFC production.
sanctions
While students may press their universities to following green building principles, administration may ultimately follow through because the buildings will ______.
save money
The 2010 Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court ______ political spending by corporations.
allowed unlimited
A campus _ involves students, faculty, and administrators in examining water and energy use on campus, waste production and disposal, paper consumption, and recycling.
audit
Corporations are eager to ______ but ______.
avoid taxes; depend on the government for roads and communication infrastructure
The various agencies, boards, and commissions within the executive branch oversee environmental policy by ______. (Select all that apply.)
investigating misconduct setting rules deciding disputes
The ______ is probably the most widespread and longest-lasting citizen science project in the world, having been initiated in 1900.
Christmas Bird Count
What are some common air quality concerns that the Clean Air Act protects against? (Mark all that apply.)
Coal smoke Airborne metal such as mercury Airborne sulfuric acid
Federal laws are created by first being proposed and enacted by ______ and then being signed by ______.
Congress; the president
When the Superfund was created, it was funded by contributions from corporations that produce hazardous waste. Now it is ______.
funded by individual taxpayers
Colleges and universities are following _ building principles because of student pressure, money savings, and support of innovative initiatives.
green or LEED
A person who has environmental literacy ______.
has fluency in the principles of ecology that gives them working knowledge of the basic grammar and underlying syntax of environmental wisdom
The first goals of the Clean Water Act were to ______. (Mark all that apply.)
identify and control end-of-the-pipe discharges from factories identify and control point-source pollutants identify and control discharges from sewage treatment plants
Over time, the number of nations taking part in negotiations has ______, and the speed at which agreements take force has ______.
increased; increased
The Kyoto Protocol has been controversial because it sets tighter restrictions on ______ than ______, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
industrialized countries; developing countries
Established environmental groups likely have more ______ than newer groups because they have professional staff, lobbyists, and a longer history.
influence
Put the steps of policy formation in the correct order, beginning with the first step on the top and the last step on the bottom. Instructions
1. Identify the problem and set agenda 2. Develop proposals 3. Build support 4. Enact law or rule 5. Implement policy 6. Evaluate results and suggest changes
Many environmental policies were established in the ______ in response to unregulated environmental degradation, strong bipartisan action in politics, and the relatively weak influence (legally) of corporate monies.
1970s
Based on a Pew Research Center poll from 2015, what percentage of people surveyed considered climate change a very serious/serious threat?
84%
Which of the following are examples of the problem identification stage of policy creation? (Mark all that apply.)
A citizen group identifies water pollutants and contacts their representatives to ask for pollution controls. Hunting groups are concerned about the loss of wetland habitat and propose new protection ideas.
The U.S. _______ and ______ Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are the two agencies primarily responsible for the studying and restoration of threatened and endangered species populations.
Blank 1: Fish Blank 2: Wildlife
Which of the following goals are included in the Superfund Act? (Mark all that apply.)
Address emergency spills Allow the Environmental Protection Agency to try to establish liability Address the remediation of orphaned sites
Match the organization with the environmental cause associated with its creation.
Audubon Society - To protect birds which were being killed for their feathers Sierra Club - To protect the giant redwoods in California Wilderness Society - To protect wild land from development
Native Americans came together at _ _ in 2016 to protest the planned route of an oil pipeline across sacred lands.
Blank 1: Standing Blank 2: Rock
The World _ Fund and the Natural _ Defense Council are two groups involved with environmental challenges.
Blank 1: Wildlife Blank 2: Resources
Match the international agreement with the correct description.
Basel Convention - Choice, Restricts shipment of hazardous waste across boundaries Restricts shipment of hazardous waste across boundaries UN Framework Convention on Climate Change - Directs governments to share data on climate change and to develop plans for controlling greenhouse gases Montreal Protocol - Protect stratospheric ozone Kyoto Protocol - Choice, Set targets for greenhouse gas emissions Set targets for greenhouse gas emissions
The College of the _ in Bar Harbor, Maine, is the number one "Cool School" according to the Sierra Club (2018). The reasons for the ranking include divestment from fossil fuel companies, high-efficiency student _ and the use of organic food.
Blank 1: Atlantic Blank 2: housing
An analysis required by provisions in the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970, determining the effects on the environment of any major program that a federal agency plans to undertake, is called a(n) _________ _________ statement.
Blank 1: environmental Blank 2: impact
How did Greenpeace put pressure on Britain to stop disposing of coal ash in the North Sea?
By exposing monitoring data, the evidence proved to be an embarrassment to Britain, and the ocean dumping practice was halted.
How does the judicial branch of government establish environmental law?
By ruling on the constitutionality of statutes and interpreting their meaning
How can citizens be involved in the legislative process?
By writing a letter to an elected representative Appearing at public hearings Signing a petition
How did the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision affect the 2012 elections?
Corporations spent billions of dollars on the 2012 election.
Which of the following correctly describe ways in which lawbreakers can be prosecuted for harming the environment? (Mark all that apply.)
Criminal law allows for someone to seek compensation for damages when they have been impacted by environmental pollution. Civil law can regulate relations between individuals and corporations where there is accusation of environmental and personal impact.
The U.S. ______ oversees public lands and national parks.
Department of the Interior
Which of the following statements is correct about the U.S. court system? (Mark all that apply.)
Each state has its own supreme court to determine if a law is consistent with the state's constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court decides whether a law is consistent with the Constitution of the United States.
The ______ allows a species to be listed for varying levels of protection, and provides rules for protection.
Endangered Species Act
People who are likely to develop technologies and products to clean up pollution and prevent its production in the first place are from which field of study?
Engineering
What is the first step in the policy cycle?
Identify the problem
______ are needed to develop government and industry policy, laws, and regulations to protect the environment.
Lawyers
What frequently motivates a country to participate in an international agreement? (Select all that apply.)
Maintaining a strong international reputation To avoid public embarrassment
In 1990, Congress recognized the importance of environmental understanding by passing the ______.
National Environmental Education Act
What is NEPA?
National Environmental Policy Act
Which of the following agencies are responsible for studying and attempting to restore threatened and endangered species? (Mark all that apply.)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fish and Wildlife Service
Match the following groups to the correct department.
National Park Service -Department of the Interior U.S. Forest Service - Department of Agriculture
What factors are involved in the establishment of a policy? (Choose all that apply.)
Negotiations and compromise Public interest Power and money
Which of the following tenets align with the precautionary principle? (Mark all that apply.)
People have a duty to take steps to prevent harm. Decisions should be open and democratic and must include the affected parties. Before using a technology, process, or chemical, proponents have an obligation to examine alternatives, including the alternative of not using it.
Based on a Pew Research Center poll from 2015, what was higher - people who supported greenhouse gas emission controls or people who were very concerned personally about climate change?
People who supported greenhouse gas emission controls
What can the Endangered Species Act (ESA) do when developers want to build on a site where an endangered species is located? (Mark all that apply.)
Provide for the halting of the development project. Require a developer to create an effective habitat conservation plan.
Which of the following is an example of a citizen science project?
Students from a high school team up with a state park biologist to study the park's bald eagle population. Farmers gather data on pasture and stream health on their property that they then share with their local agricultural extension agency.
Identify some of the major "criteria pollutants" that are regulated under the Clean Air Act. (Mark all that apply.)
Sulfur oxides Carbon monoxide Lead Metals
This international agreement established rules to restrict unauthorized or illegal trade across national boundaries.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
Which of the following are examples of a civil case leading to a conviction?
The Koch oil company paid $35 million in fines and penalties to state and federal authorities for negligence in more than 300 oil spills. The Exxon oil company was charged with paying $5 billion in damages to Alaskan fishermen.
What does the Endangered Species Act do? (Mark all that apply.)
The act provides a structure for identifying and listing species that are vulnerable, threatened, or endangered. The act provides rules for protecting endangered species and their habitat.
A landowner discovers that a listed endangered species lives on their property. How might the ESA handle this?
The landowner could get tax breaks for conserving the land.
Which three entities are involved in the process of passing statutory laws? (Select all that apply.)
The president The Senate The House of Representatives
Which of the following are true regarding historical trends among international treaties and conventions? (Mark all that apply.)
The rate at which the parties are signing on has increased dramatically. The number of parties taking place in negotiations has grown.
Why were many environmental policies established in the 1970s? (Choose all that apply.)
There was strong bipartisan action in politics. Environmental degradation was very apparent. The lobbying industry was still small.
Why were insurance companies the first corporations to call for action on climate change?
They could lose billions from worsening storms and droughts.
How do American businesses deal with the stricter manufacturing standards of the EU?
They follow them in order that they can do business with companies in the EU.
What is the goal of the Superfund Act?
To generate a large pool of money to help remediate abandoned toxic sites
What is the purpose of the Clean Air Act? (Mark all that apply.)
To identify, monitor, and reduce air contaminants To identify and regulate seven major air contaminants To provide the first nationally standardized rules in the United States for air pollutants
What are the two goals of the National Environmental Education Act?
To improve public understanding of the natural environment To encourage postsecondary students to pursue careers related to the environment
What does it mean to divest yourself of fossil fuels?
You get rid of investments in the oil and gas industry.
The Standing Rock protest occurred in 2016 in response to ______.
a planned oil pipeline in sacred tribal areas
President Trump hiring a corporate leader from the oil and gas industry to head the Department of Energy is an example of regulatory _ one intention behind this was to change environmental policy.
capture
Prior to 1995, the Superfund was supplied by ______, but after 1995 ______.
contributions from industrial producers of hazardous wastes; Congress voted to end that source and it is now supplied by public taxpayer money
Sulfur oxides, lead, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides are a few of the "______ pollutants" regulated under the Clean Air Act.
criteria
Cities, countries, and universities are increasingly________ themselves from fossil fuels, i.e., they are getting rid of their investments associated with the oil and gas industry.
divesting
Regulatory capture occurs when a president hires someone who is antagonistic to an agency's mission as the head of that agency, with the intent to ______.
dramatically change U.S. policy
Universities are enacting environmental policies for both moral and long-term ________ reasons.
economic or financial
Environmental ______ are needed to help train an environmentally literate populace.
educators
One way to help improve the environmental literacy of the general populace is to ______.
encourage people to spend time outdoors so they become more environmentally aware
In a campus audit, students, faculty, and administrators may examine ______.
energy use waste production water use recycling amounts
Every environmental impact statement (EIS) must contain a(n) ______. (Mark all that apply.)
explanation of the purpose and need for the project statement of positive and negative environmental impacts of the proposed activity descriptions of alternatives to the proposed action
The U.S. Supreme Court ______. (Mark all that apply.)
is the court of last resort for appeals for both federal and state court systems is composed of nine justices whose job is to judge whether a law is consistent with the U.S. Constitution
To establish environmental _ the judicial branch examines the body of legal opinions built up by many court cases and reviews legislative records from hearings to determine congressional intent.
law or laws
Individuals can be involved in the _________ process by writing or calling their elected representative, and showing up at public hearings. (Use just one word for your answer.)
legislative
The Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972 aimed to ______.
make U.S. waters "fishable and swimmable"
The role of the Environmental Protection Agency is to ______.
oversee and enforce public laws regarding the protection of environmental quality in the United States
The general public benefits from governmental assistance via ______.
police and fire protection public schooling social security payments
The precautionary principle states that we ______. (Mark all that apply.)
shouldn't mass-market new chemicals, cars, or toys until they are assured to be safe should take action on potential threats to human health or the environment, even if we don't fully understand the problems and risks
Many new environmental groups are also concerned with _ and environmental causes. (Use just one word for your answer.)
social
The Montreal Protocol protects ______.
stratospheric ozone
Compared to the United States, the European Union (EU) has ______ environmental policy standards for manufacturing processes, and this results in ______.
stricter; other countries having to adapt to the higher standards in order to have their products imported by the EU
The STARS rating system ranks schools on ______; the rankings are bronze, silver, gold, and platinum.
sustainability
The executive branch in the United States includes administrative agencies such as ______.
the Environmental Protection Agency
The United States did not sign the Kyoto Protocol, and Canada withdrew from the agreement, because both considered ______.
the binding emissions targets unreasonable
Nations have become increasingly interested in signing on to international agreements because ______. (Select all that apply.)
they recognize the interconnections of our global environment many issues cross international boundaries they recognize that they cannot protect their resources on their own
A person who is environmentally literate is more likely to ______. (Mark all that apply.)
understand how human society is influencing the environment be involved in activities to improve and restore environmental quality understand the scientific concepts and facts that underlie environmental issues
The poorest people in the world will suffer the most from climate change, so groups such as 350.org ______.
work toward environmental and social causes
