Chapter 3 APES

Discuss two factors that serve as obstacles to successful environmental policies?

. Tragedy of the Commons (Garrett Hardin) • Unregulated resources held in common and accessible to all will become overused and degraded 2. Free Ride Effect - receiving benefits without "paying" • Mandated regulations are needed to avoid free rider Why are policies needed? 3. External costs - Policies ensure that resource use or impacts from production do not harm others Be able to give examples of externalities

Describe three historical stages of U.S. environmental policies and any relevant laws that were implemented during each stage.

1780's - end of 1800: Mgt of Public Lands (General Land Ordinances) did not protect env. - Promoted settlements • Homestead Act of 1862 - Promoted extraction of natural resources • Timber Culture Act 1873 • Mineral Lands Act 1866 Homestead Act (1862) - ended in 1976 - Free title to a homestead (160 acres) on undev. federal land West of Mississippi • only requirement: "improve" the land - From 1862-1934, 270 million acres of fed land were privatized (profit-seekers) - Used to control water rights in the west • Timber Culture Act (1873) - Homesteaders could obtain another 160 acres if 25% of land (40 acres) was planted with trees... - 5 years of occupation and $30

-Homestead Act (1862)

1862) - ended in 1976 - Free title to a homestead (160 acres) on undev. federal land West of Mississippi • only requirement: "improve" the land - From 1862-1934, 270 million acres of fed land were privatized (profit-seekers) - Used to control water rights in the west

-Mineral Lands Act (1866)

1866 and 1872) - Legalized hardrock mining on public lands (prior to this, miners were "squatters") - Gave rights to discoverers of gold, silver, copper and cinnabar (mercury ore) - Feds collected ONLY $2.50-$5.00 per acre - still a law today!

General Land Ordinances

780's - end of 1800: Mgt of Public Lands (General Land Ordinances) did not protect env. - Promoted settlements • Homestead Act of 1862 - Promoted extraction of natural resources • Timber Culture Act 1873 • Mineral Lands Act 1866

-Timber Culture Act (1873)

873) - Homesteaders could obtain another 160 acres if 25% of land (40 acres) was planted with trees... - 5 years of occupation and $30

Takings clause vs regulatory taking

A clause from the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution that ensures, in part, that private property shall not "be taken for public use without just compensation. "Courts have interpreted this clause to ban not only the literal taking of private property but also regulatory takings-the deprivation of a property's owner, by means of a law or regulation, of most or all economic uses of that property

How did the snail darter stall the construction of the dam?

Becuase the snail darter was only found in the shallow sections of the river, and if a dam were to be built, this, already endangered species, would cease to exist, SO ESA, signed in by nixon stalled to construction of the dam

Why does the ESA continue to be controversial? Identify the conservative as well as the conservationist point of view.

Conservative= complain that it tramples on property rights and impeads usiness. Conservative= regard it as a powerful tool at their disposal to protect envirmental quality.

customary law versus conventional law

Customary= International law the arises from long standing practices or customes, held in common by most cultures Conventional= International law that arises from conventions or treaties that nations agree to enter on

EIS

EIS needed on all major actions that impact environment

EPA

EPA created to centralize regulations

EU

European Union (EU) - European countries assert stronger role together

green tax

External costs are internalized so env. degradation is included in overall cost/price of production (also called full-cost pricing) Financial incentive to decrease pollution however cost of product is higher so low income consumers are affected proportionately more than rich consumers

Describe three ways in which environmental policies help to buffer the negative impacts of society (thereby protecting the environment).

Goal: 1. Protect environmental quality • Ex: by addressing external costs 2. Maintaining natural resources • Ex. by preventing tragedy of the commons 3. Promoting equitable use of resources • Ex. by eliminating the free rider • Accomplish goals by: 1. Regulating resource use 2. Reducing pollution 3. Protecting natural systems

environmental policy

Goal: 1. Protect environmental quality • Ex: by addressing external costs 2. Maintaining natural resources • Ex. by preventing tragedy of the commons 3. Promoting equitable use of resources • Ex. by eliminating the free rider • Accomplish goals by: 1. Regulating resource use 2. Reducing pollution 3. Protecting natural systems

subsidy

Govt money is used to promote outcomes ... often unsustainable and harmful

Kyoto Protocol

Kyoto Protocol - global goal to reduce carbon emission

NEPA

National Env. Policy Act (NEPA): - EIS needed on all major actions that impact environment - EPA created to centralize regulations - Clean Water Act 1977 (fishable, swimmable water)

What is NEPA and what impacts did this law have on policy development (hint: EIS/EPA)?Describe the difference between conventional law and customary law. Why is this difference important?

National Env. Policy Act (NEPA): - EIS needed on all major actions that impact environment - EPA created to centralize regulations - Clean Water Act 1977 (fishable, swimmable water)

Should the degree of economic and/or recreational value of a species be a deciding factor in protecting (or not) an endangered species? Explain why or why not and use examples if possible

No, it shouldnt, in a perfect world, all biotic things should hold he same importance, not just that value in the eyes of a human, but this is an important idea to consider when trying to convince different companies of its costs.

WTO

Organizations with clout! • World Trade Organization (WTO) est. 1995 - Represents multinational corporations - Promotes and enforces free trade - Critics: WTO is known to aggravate problems • 1995: EPA wanted to require cleaner burning fuels - this prohibited S. American fuels (so prohibited free trade) - WTO ruled against cleaner fuels and in favor of free trade rules

Clean Water Act (1977)

Revision pf proir Cpngressional legislation to control air pollution that set stricter standards for air quality, imposed limits on emissions from new stationary and mobil sources, provided funds for pollution- control research, and enabled citizens to sue parties violating the standards.

Rachel Carson

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson • Incr. awareness of negative affects of chemicals

Montreal Protocol

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (a protocol to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer) is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion.

revolving door

The movement of powerful between the private sector and government agencies

command and control

Top - down: government determines limits, rules and laws • Most major env. laws have been achieved using this approach - with MANY successes (Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act etc.) • Critics: - VERY expensive approach to env. protections - Politicizes issues that should be based on science

UNEP

UNEP (UN Envir Program) est. 1972

How does each major policy "player" (UN, EU, WTO, NGO, WB) help to determine environmental policies.

United Nations (est.1945) - "maintain peace and harmony, cooperation to solve problems, promote human rights" - UNEP (UN Envir Program) est. 1972 • European Union (EU) - European countries assert stronger role together World Trade Organization (WTO) est. 1995 - Represents multinational corporations - Promotes and enforces free trade - Critics: WTO is known to aggravate problems • 1995: EPA wanted to require cleaner burning fuels - this prohibited S. American fuels (so prohibited free trade) - WTO ruled against cleaner fuels and in favor of free trade rules NGO: Non-Government Organizations - Nature Conservancy: purchases land for better mgt - Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund: lobby for policies and laws to protect env. • World Bank - est. 1944 - Funds economic development that benefits poor • Often unsustainable and causes irreversible problems (dams, irrigation, highways)

NGO

non-Government Organizations - Nature Conservancy: purchases land for better mgt - Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund: lobby for policies and laws to protect env.

permit trading (cap and trade)

polluters buy/sell/trade permits that allow them to pollute but pollution is limited by the number of permits B. Company that does not fill its permits can sell to others who pollute more (or who are expanding) C. Env groups can buy permits and "retire" them (decr. pollution even more!)Example: 1990 Amendments to Clean Air Act... incr. air quality! • 35% reduction in SO 2 from 1990-2005 • Example: Kyoto Protocol - global goal to reduce carbon emissions • Area near permit holder may become over-polluted

In 1970 what were the perceived benefits and costs of the Tellico Dam?

promte economic development, control floods, and provide recreation. dam wasnt neeed, cost too much, offered insufficent beneifits, and would only destroy forests, wildlife habitiat, family famrs, Native American archeological sites, and already rare free-flowing sections of river in the area.

free rider

receiving benefits without "paying" • Mandated regulations are needed to avoid free riders