In an effort to improve the lives of Americans, the United States Congress has enacted several legislative acts to reduce environmental pollutants. The motivation to take serious environmentally protective public policies came after 1948 when thick heavy smog covered the streets of Donora, Pennsylvania. The incident resulted in the death of 20 people with thousands more falling ill from the respiratory effects of the smog which carried yet unknown environmentally hazardous air pollutants from two factories in the city. This tragedy made the United States government aware that they needed to be concern about air pollution, and before the United Sates Congress passed the Clean Air Act, as we know it today, there were two previous acts that began to shape what now is a truly comprehensible Clean Air Act. In May of 1950 the first United States Technical Conference on Air Pollution was established, but it wasn’t until July 14, 1955 that Congress passed the first piece of legislation, the Air Pollution Control Act of 1955 (P.L. 84-159) signed by President Eisenhower. This first piece of legislation addressed pollution at its source and provided “research and technical assistance relating to air pollution control” (P.L. 159). It also assigned $5 million on annual funds for federal research on air pollution for the next five years. These funds had to be shared with states and educational institutions to assist in their own research on air pollution; by 1956, only $2 million of the approved $5 million were appropriated for research and technical assistance. The most influx of money was received in 1958 when Congress appropriated $4 million (Reitze). The Air Pollution Control Act of 1955 did not accomplish much as far as fixing air polluti... ... middle of paper ... ...utants (EPA). In addition, it mandated the removal of all ozone depleting substances as well as mandating a required permit program. This part of the amendment was called Clean Air Act Permitting Program (CAAPP). In this case permits would have to be attained by major sources of pollutants to operate. To have a successful implementation the 1990 amendment the EPA more tools for enforcement of these new regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency is undoubtedly the most influential and powerful agency in charge of protecting human and environmental health as well as writing and implementing regulations based on laws passed by Congress. The EPA is an agency that was created with the intent to meet public needs, express public values (Zaino 243) and prevent incidents such as the 1948 Donora Smog which was a catalyst to all of the Clean Air Acts enacted.
City of Los Angeles Environmental Affairs Department. “L.A. Made a Difference!” Los Angeles, CA: US. 1998. www.cityofla.org/EAD/article3.htm
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates air pollution through various policies passed through the Supreme Court. The scope of this paper is to investigate the Clean Air Act of 1970, and to analyze the impact it has on businesses and society. It provides a rationale for the policy, and contains a brief overview of governmental involvement in regulating air pollution. Further investigation identifies key stakeholders in business, government, and society, and assesses the pros and cons of regulating air pollution. Finally, the paper concludes with limitations of this analysis and recommendations for future action.
Many amendments were passed to alter the Federal Water Pollution Control Act so it could better maintained, implicated, and effectively better for
Environmental Protection Agency. Environmental Protection Agency, (Nov 2011). Caa national enforcement programs. Retrieved from website: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/caa/caaenfprog.html
The quality of air we intake on a daily basis is essential to our health, therefore, the EPA’s Clean Air Act provides the groundwork to support the quality of the air which we breathe. One of the goals of the Act was to set and achieve NAAQS in every state by 1975 to address the public health and welfare risks posed by certain air pollutants. The setting of these pollutant standards was coupled with directing the states to develop state implementation plans (SIPs), applicable to appropriate industrial sources in the stat...
As swans drift with the current on a secluded lake in upper Canada they think not of the water they are in but of dreams of the past and wants for the future. On the other hand, seals off the coast of Northern California fear for their lives every day of humans exploiting their natural habitat. Many things can endanger water born animals, and most all of these come directly from humans. The pollutants of water come from many sources both close and far away from the water body itself. Wastes of humans are the major cause of pollution in the water, such materials include sewage, chemicals among other notable items. First, the composition water: water is odorless, tasteless and a transparent liquid. Though in large quantities water appears to have a bluish tint, it maintains the transparent tendency when observed in smaller quantities. Water covers approximately seventy percent of the Earth's surface in the solid and liquid form. Pollutants can be carried over a great distance by combining with evaporating moisture, forming clouds and then the wind taking the clouds to the larger body of water. This process is called acid rain and it is a major source of water pollution. Acid rain has been a problem since the Industrial Revolution, and has kept growing ever since. With acid rain moving over to a fresh water body, the plants and animals could experience pollution that they never had to deal with before and they could possibly die for the sudden change without them having time to adapt, if this is possible.
Congress enacted legislation now known as the Clean Water Act. During the Truman era, originally called the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. The bill Congress passed in 1972 was an overhaul of the original act. The Clean Water Act set limits on the amount of pollutants industries and cities could discharge and gave the Environmental Protection Agency the power to sue and penalize polluters that exceeded those limits. Congress banned DDT, reduced emissions and sued major cities.
The Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1970, which established nationwide standards for air quality, is one such “unfounded mandate.” Although it is a federal law, states must pay the cost of implementation and enforcement.
... this fact, people need to identify this problem and deal with it. By increasing the gasoline tax by one dollar, we will eventually fix it. Public transportation and safety on these transit ways will help with this dangerous effect on the environment. Air pollution cannot be stopped, but it can be softened over time.
The Clean Air Act was passed by Congress in 1970, and was revised in 1977 and by 1990 to enlarge time limits, however, has specified new methodologies for cleaning the air. By enforcing new laws, the government will guarantee that the air ought to be cleaner and therefore make public health a framework. It has been indicated that the toxic lead emissions have dropped by 98% and the figure dioxide has dropped by 35%, even the carbon monoxide dropped by 32% (2010). One ought to begin by saying that the Clean Air Act is one of the few authoritative activities planned to diminish the vicinity of brown haze, carbon dioxide, and whatever viable environmental pollution by and large. The US Clear Air Act was passed by the United States Congress in 1963 and afterward would make various different acts to help the Clear Air Act: Clean Air Act Amendment of 1966, Clean Air Extension of 1970; Clean Air Act Amendment of 1977 and Clean Air Act Amendment of 1990.
One of the most dangerous environment issues Southern California is facing today is air pollution. This includes the burning of fossil fuels and natural disasters. Los Angeles is one of the most polluted cities in the world, and the most polluted city in the United States. I will research information about the causes, the effects, and the history of air pollution in the Los Angeles. For my research, I have relied mostly on, the school’s database and library, as well as current events.
Besides, non-government organizations(NGOs) organized by environmentalists devotes to push governments’ process of treating the air pollution move faster and forward. In 1994, American Lung Association as a model of NGOs committed to speeding up the review of the ozone standard by bringing a lawsuit to compel United States Environmental Protection Agency(EPA). The effort was rewarded in 1997 when EPA
Our Congress created the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in 1969 in order to establish an environmental foundation for mankind. This policy endorses harmony between humans and the vast ecosystems surrounding them. To obtain this goal and provide our future with resources as well, NEPA is separated into two titles. The first title declares the policy in detail while the second title focuses on the Council on Environmental Quality. The CEQ oversees the effectiveness of current methods, the reactions of the environment to those methods, and implements revisions as necessary.
Relevance: Air pollution is something that everyone should be concern, especially if we’re advancing a lot in technology, especially in vehicles and the importance of our air or the environment.
PURPOSE: To persuade my audience that we must take action now to control air pollution