Environmental Politics

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Environmental Politics

• Domestic and International

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Democracy and Environmental Protection

• What aspects of a democracy aid environmental
  protection?

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Forces in US Environmental Policy
Dramatic Event
President/Legislator proposes legislation
Media coverage
Scientific info., risk-benefit, cost analysis,
technol.
Congress passes laws
Public concerns
Regulatory Agency copes with language of law
(vague, contradicts)
Affected Groups
Congressional Oversight
Court challenges interprets
Implemention Enforcement
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Democracy and Environmental Protection

• What aspects of a democracy aid environmental
  protection?
• What aspects of a democracy hinder environmental
  protection?

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The Case of ANWR

• How did the forces play out?

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Dramatic Event
President/Legislator proposes legislation
Media coverage
Scientific info., risk-benefit, cost analysis,
technol.
Congress passes laws
Public concerns
Regulatory Agency copes with language of law
(vague, contradicts)
Affected Groups
Congressional Oversight
Court challenges interprets
Implemention Enforcement
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Public Concern

• During the communist years in Russia how do you
  think their environmental condition fared?
• Why?

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Severe pollution common in Russia, especially
before 1991.
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Andreeva Bay (nuclear sub base) has radiation
levels as high as Chernobyl
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Norislk, Russia Most Polluted Place on Earth

• Single biggest pollution emitter
• gt 2 million tons of pollution each year
• gt 5000 tons of SOx each DAY
• Snow is black, pink or yellow
• Yellow snow extends for 30 miles around town
• Forests as far north as Norway are killed by
  pollution from Norislk
• Life expectancy is 10 years below Russian average
• Former gulag (Soviet Prison) but still largely
  closed to foreigners

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Challenges to these Political Forces

• SLAPPS

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SLAPPs

• Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation
  (SLAPP)
• Goals
• use up time and money of private citizens and
  environmental groups
• deter citizens from becoming involved.
• 90 that go to court are thrown out by judge
• SLAPPED individual 1-3 years fighting suit.

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Environmental Groups

• Mainstream Groups
• national or international in scope and in
  activity
• variety of issues
• Grassroots Groups
• local
• usually one issue

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Anti-Environmental Groups

• Wise-Use Groups
• Goals include opening up all public lands to all
  types of resource extraction create private
  concessions and theme parks at national parks
  modify Endangered Species Act to have economic
  interests override preservation eliminate
  government restrictions on wetlands private
  markets always ideal
• Usually funded by national anti-environmental
  interest groups (timber co., oil co.)
• names close to the names of mainstream
  environmental groups
• Sahara Club
• National Wildlife Institute
• Environmental Policy Task Force of the National
  Center for Public Policy Research

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Regulatory Agencies The major environmental
laws EPA regulates, implements and enforces

• National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)
• Chemical Safety Information, Site Security and
  Fuels Regulatory Relief Act
• The Clean Air Act (CAA)
• The Clean Water Act (CWA)
• CERCLA
• The Emergency Planning Community Right-To-Know
  Act (EPCRA)
• The Endangered Species Act (ESA)
• Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide
  Act (FIFRA)
• Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA)

• Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA)
• The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
• The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
• The Oil Pollution Act of 1990
• The Pollution Prevention Act (PPA)
• The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
  (RCRA)
• The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
• The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act
  (SARA)
• The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)

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Regulatory Agencies A form of bureaucracy

• Problems?
• Over time, rigid and concerned over its own
  survival
• Revolving door can lead to the fox guarding the
  henhouse
• Corporate employees become regulatory agency
  employees
• Duplication of effort, contradictory solutions,
  lack of integrated approaches

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International Politics

• What are the forces for environmental here?

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International Political Forces

• States
• Multilateral Institutions and Treaties
• Trade
• International Finance
• Corporations
• NGOs
• Science, Technology
• Grassroots