Environmental Policy

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Environmental Policy

• November 21, 2005

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Discussion Points

• US Energy Policy
• The Environment and the Consumer Domestic Policy
• Worldwide Environmental Policy
• Effect of Environmental Science on Politics
• Note This presentation can be found on the web
  at http//www.webpages.ttu.edu/mroth/

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Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

• About ANWR
• About Legislative Bill
• Benefits
• Opposition/ Pro-Development

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About ANWR The Bill

• 19 million acre refuge in the northeast corner of
  Alaska
• Less than 100 miles west of Prudhoe Bay
• Drilling will take place in 1.5 million acres
  which is only 8 of the refuge

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Benefits

• Federal and State revenue would increase by
  millions of dollars
• Between 250,000 and 735,000 jobs will be created
• This could be Americas best chance to discover
  oil and gas in amounts close to Prudhoe Bay,
  reducing the dependence on foreign oil.

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Opposition/Pro Development

• The opposition is worried about arctic wildlife
• Environmentalists believe that drilling will
  upset the fragile biodiversity of the region
• Research has concluded that petroleum development
  and production can coexist with the wildlife
• Example The Caribou herd that migrates through
  Prudhoe Bay has increased from 3,000 to 32,000

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Energy Efficient Cars

• Energy Efficient cars are helping relieve
  dependence on foreign oil.
• Oil is on a path to becoming less important as a
  trading commodity.
• This will definitely change the way America deals
  with the Middle East
• George Bush Sometimes we rely upon energy
  sources from countries that don't particularly
  like us.

8
Asbestos

• Asbestos is a building material that causes
  cancer.
• Many developing countries still use this cancer
  causing material despite the obvious health
  effects.
• Many industrialized countries trade asbestos to
  developing countries even though they do not use
  the material.
• Canada is one of these countries exporting
  300,000 tons of this material

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Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• The White House and Congress worked together to
  establish the EPA in response to the growing
  public demand for cleaner water, air and land.
• The EPA was assigned the daunting task of
  repairing the damage already done to the natural
  environment and to establish new criteria to
  guide Americans in making a cleaner environment a
  reality.

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EPA Activities

• Offer financial assistance to states and
  institutions to research scientific methods of
  improving environmental issues.
• Sponsor voluntary partnerships and programs.
• Develop and enforce regulations.
• Further environmental education.

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Endangered Species Policies

• Causes for Endangerment
• Habitat Destruction Earth is continually
  changing, causing habitats to be altered,
  modified, or polluted.
• Over-exploitation severely endangered or extinct
  species are due to the rate in which the species
  are being used

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Why Save the Endangered Species?

• Medical Usage Plants and animals are origins of
  vital medications.
• Ecological Plant and animal species are the
  foundation of healthy ecosystems.
• Recreational Plant and animal species form the
  basis of tourism industry.

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Endangered Species Laws and Regulations

• Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992
• Endangered Species Act
• African Elephant Conservation Act
• Lacey Act

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Water Conservation

• Texas state soil and water conservation board was
  established in 1939
• Clean water act of 1970 provided for water
  treatment facilities.
• Clean water act of 1972 gives authority of the
  water conservation to the individual states

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TSSWCB

• Congress established the TSSWCB in 1939.
• The TSSWCB main focus is to watch and regulate
  water and soil conservation.
• 217 districts, with headquarters strategically
  located around Texas

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Brush Control program

• Brush control can bring dormant streams back to
  life.
• Cedar is on of the biggest absorbers of water.
• Cleanup of brush along river banks can pose own
  problems as well.

17
Aquifers and lakes

• Ogallala Aquifer
• Essentially cannot be replenished
• Laws vary from state-to-state
• Kansas zero-depletion law
• Texas law states that the property owner is
  entitled to unlimited water usage

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International Policy

• Deeper roots worldwide than in U.S.
• Europe and Japan more effective, more active
  environmentalists
• Environmental action due to their forms of
  government

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International Policy Cont.

• Chinese Exception
• China 2nd largest pollution emitter due to
  economic boom
• Lack of action in the next few years will
  quadruple pollution levels

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International Policy Cont.

• Chinese Exception
• The Chinese issue is not why to protect the
  environment and people, but how to do so while
  encouraging the current economic boom
• History provides a look at our past, a mirror
  image of Chinas development international
  intervention could prevent them from producing as
  much pollution as we did to get where we are.

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Waste Management

• Waste Management believes the issues surrounding
  the quality of our earth, air and water are big
  issues and they call for big solutions.
• WM is always looking for ways to use its
  knowledge and experience for a greater good,
  because it is plainly and simply the right thing
  to do.

22
Public Myth

• False! There is a rumor going around which says
  we are running out of room to put landfills and
  store our garbage. This rumor was started by a
  shipper trying to save money by dumping his load
  of garbage instead of landfill.

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Making a Difference

• Arizona Landfill Fueled by the Sun
• Goddard Space Center First Federal Gas-To-Energy
  Site
• WM Announces Formation of New Recycle America
  Alliance
• WM Joins Chicago Climate Exchange

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Kyoto Protocol

• Goals
• Article II
• Energy efficiency
• Promote sustainable forms of agriculture
• Research and promote new forms of renewable
  energy
• Ending tax credits/incentives that promote gas
  emissions
• Reduction of gases in transport sector
• Elimination of methane gas
• Article III
• Have made demonstrable efforts by 2005
• Reduce emissions by 5 of the 1990s level
• Do not adversely affect economies in developing
  countries

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Europe and the US on the Kyoto Protocol

• Russia fall of communism
• Germany modernization of East Germany
• England Utilization of the natural gas in the
  North Sea
• France Utilization of nuclear energy
• U.S.
• No ratification of the treaty, but
• Businesses have cut emissions through technology
• Growth of forests and agriculture
• EPA Energy Star program helps with energy
  conservation
• Production of more efficient vehicles

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Effects of the Kyoto Protocol

• Drastic reduction in energy consumption
• Heavy socialistic regulation
• Closing of old factories that produce emissions
• Send our economy into a depression

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Science and Politics

• Junk science often is used as factual evidence in
  support of public policy
• Public polling tends to be useless if the public
  is not educated
• Hollywood entertains on global warming
• It slows funding of legitimate science

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Discussion Questions

• Should facilities be more regulated to conserve
  the environment?
• Knowing that environmental waste is being
  produced at a faster rate than it is being
  eliminated, do you feel the need to become a
  greener citizen?
• Do you feel like there is enough emphasis on
  recycling? What can be done to encourage the
  progress?