Environmental Policy and Politics: Toward the 21st Century

by Kraft, Michael E.

• ISBN13: 9780321042569
• ISBN10: 0321042565
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-10-01
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Summary

This up-to-date and readable text is a concise yet thorough examination of environmental, natural resource and energy policy and politics, primarily within the United States. Drawing from work within environmental science, policy analysis, and political science, it critically examines the key strengths and weaknesses of policy-making processes today, as well as the promise of new policy approaches. It offers extensive coverage of the nature of environmental problems and historical developments in environmental policy. The overriding theme of Environmental Policy and Politics, Second Edition, is that democratic approaches to policy-making and policy change are likely to be the most effective over time, based on strong public support. In that vein, the book stresses the opportunities available to citizens to shape environmental policies at all levels of government.

Table of Contents

List of Tables, Figures, and Boxes	x
Preface	xi
Environmental Problems and Politics	1	(25)
Environmental Policy and Politics	3	(2)
Perspectives on Environmental Problems	5	(4)
Scientific Knowledge and Its Use	6	(1)
Economics and Incentives	6	(2)
Environmental Values and Ethics	8	(1)
The Role of Government and Politics	9	(2)
Democracy, Politics, and Environmental Policy	11	(1)
Defining Environmental Policy	12	(3)
Policy Typologies	12	(1)
The Breadth of Environmental Policy	13	(1)
Interdisciplinary Approaches to Environmental Policy	14	(1)
Environmental Problems and Public Policy	15	(7)
Defining the Problems: The Nature of Environmental Risks	15	(4)
Coping with Environmental Risks	19	(3)
Public Policy Responses	22	(1)
Conclusion	23	(1)
Suggested Readings	24	(2)
Judging the State of the Environment	26	(32)
Air Quality	27	(7)
Gains in Air Quality and Remaining Problems	28	(2)
The Case of Southern California	30	(1)
Indoor Air Quality	31	(1)
Acid Precipitation	32	(1)
CFCs and the Stratospheric Ozone Layer	32	(2)
Water Quality	34	(4)
Pollution of Surface Waters	34	(3)
Drinking Water	37	(1)
Toxic Chemicals and Hazardous Wastes	38	(5)
Toxic Chemicals and Health Effects	38	(3)
Handling of Hazardous Wastes	41	(1)
Contaminated Federal Facilities	42	(1)
Radioactive Wastes	43	(1)
Solid Waste and Consumer Waste	43	(2)
Energy Use and Climate Change	45	(2)
The Scope of Energy Problems	45	(1)
Fossil Fuels and the Threat of Climate Change	46	(1)
Biological Diversity and Habitat Loss	47	(4)
Biodiversity Loss and Implications	48	(2)
Policy Actions and Effects	50	(1)
Human Polution Growth	51	(3)
Population and Sustainable Development	51	(1)
Growth Rates and Projected Population Increase	52	(2)
Conclusions	54	(1)
Suggested Readings	55	(3)
The Policy-Making Process and the Environment	58	(23)
The Policy-Making Process and the Environment	59	(8)
The Policy Cycle Model	60	(5)
Patterns in Environmental Policy Making	65	(2)
Agenda Setting and Environmental Policy Change	67	(3)
Problems, Policies, and Politics	67	(1)
Policy Entrepreneurs and Policy Change	68	(2)
Characteristics of U.S. Government and Politics	70	(8)
Constitutional and Political Features	70	(1)
Institutional Fragmentation and Policy Gridlock	71	(5)
The Benefits of Dispersed Power	76	(2)
Conclusion	78	(1)
Suggested Readings	79	(2)
U.S. Politics and the Evolution of Environmental Policy	81	(21)
Natural Resources and Environmental Policies in Historical Perspective	81	(5)
The Settlement and ``Conquest'' of Nature	82	(1)
The Conservation Movement and Advances in Public Health	83	(1)
From the New Deal to the Environmental Movement	84	(2)
The Modern Environmental Movement and Policy Achievements	86	(11)
The Role of Environmental Interest Groups	89	(3)
Public Opinion and the Environment	92	(3)
Environmental Issues in Election Campaigns	95	(2)
Political Reaction in the 1980s and 1990s	97	(2)
Conclusion	99	(1)
Suggested Readings	100	(2)
Environmental Protection Policy: Controlling Pollution	102	(41)
The Contours of Environmental Protection Policy	103	(17)
The Clean Air Act	103	(4)
The Clean Water Act	107	(4)
The Safe Drinking Water Act	111	(1)
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act	112	(2)
The Toxic Substances Control Act	114	(1)
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act	115	(2)
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act	117	(3)
The Institutional Context of Policy Implementation	120	(8)
The EPA's Organization, Budget, and Staff	121	(4)
Working with the States	125	(2)
Political Support and Opposition	127	(1)
Setting Environmental Standards	128	(3)
Environmental Goals and Objectives	128	(1)
Environmental Quality Criteria	128	(2)
Setting Quality Standards	130	(1)
Emission Standards	131	(1)
Balancing Statutory Goals and Costs	131	(3)
Adopting and Enforcing Regulations	134	(5)
Administrative Rule Making	134	(2)
Compliance and Enforcement	136	(1)
White House Oversight	137	(2)
Conclusions	139	(1)
Suggested Readings	140	(3)
Energy and Natural Resource Policies	143	(42)
The Vagaries of Energy Policy: Goals and Means	144	(3)
Indirect Policy Impacts	146	(1)
Shifting Energy Priorities	146	(1)
The Energy Policy Cycle: 1973-1989	147	(2)
Carter's National Energy Plan and Conservation Gains	147	(2)
Reagan's Nonpolicy on Energy	149	(1)
Energy Policy for the Twenty-First Century	149	(6)
The Bush Administration's National Energy Strategy	150	(2)
The Clinton Administration Tries Its Hand	152	(2)
State and Local Energy Initiatives	154	(1)
Natural Resources and Policy Change	155	(17)
Environmental Stewardship or Economic Development?	155	(2)
The Environmentalist Challenge to Resource Development	157	(2)
Natural Resource Policies and Agencies	159	(1)
Managing the Nation's Forests	160	(5)
Battles Over Wilderness	165	(2)
Governing the Range	167	(3)
BLM Lands and the Sagebrush Rebellion	170	(1)
Other Protected Lands and Agencies	171	(1)
Environmental Impacts and Natural Resources Decision Making	172	(6)
The Endangered Species Act	172	(4)
The National Environmental Policy Act	176	(2)
The Changing Natural Resources Policy Agenda	178	(1)
Conclusions	179	(2)
Suggested Readings	181	(4)
Evaluating Environmental Policy	185	(32)
Approaches to Environmental Policy Evaluation	187	(3)
Program Outcomes	188	(1)
Process and Institutional Evaluation	189	(1)
Signs of Progress	190	(4)
Environmental Protection Policies	190	(2)
Natural Resource Policies	192	(1)
The Need for Data Assessment and Public Dialogue	193	(1)
Costs, Benefits, and Risks	194	(5)
Comparing Risks and Setting Priorities	196	(1)
Controversies over Cost-Benefit Analysis and Risk Assessment	197	(1)
Environmentalists' Use of Economic Analysis	198	(1)
Jobs, the Economy, and the Environment	199	(3)
Employment, Business Costs, and Environmental Policy	199	(2)
Seeking Common Ground: Toward Environmental Sustainability	201	(1)
Reforming Environmental Regulation	202	(6)
The Case for Policy Alternatives	203	(2)
Assessing New Policy Approaches	205	(3)
New Directions in Energy and Natural Resources Policy	208	(6)
The Appeal of User Fees	208	(1)
Privatization	209	(1)
Social Cost Accounting	210	(1)
Government Purchasing Power	211	(1)
Ecosystem Management	212	(2)
Conclusions	214	(1)
Suggested Readings	214	(3)
Environmental Policy and Politics for the Twenty-First Century	217	(26)
Environmental Goals and Policy Choices	218	(1)
An Evolving Policy Agenda	219	(4)
Improving Environmental Policies and Institutions	219	(2)
A New Culture at the EPA and Other Federal Agencies?	221	(1)
Environmental Equity	222	(1)
Toward Sustainable Development	223	(11)
The President's Council on Sustainable Development	224	(1)
New Policy Horizons	225	(1)
Energy Policy	225	(1)
Population Policy	226	(2)
Suburban Sprawl and Smart Growth	228	(1)
Ecosystem Health and Biodiversity	229	(2)
International Environmental Policy	231	(2)
Environmental Science and Policy Research	233	(1)
Business and the Environment	234	(3)
The Greening of Industry?	234	(2)
Consumer Demand	236	(1)
Democracy and the Environment	237	(3)
Grassroots Environmentalism and Public Education	237	(1)
Environmental Information and the Internet	238	(2)
Conclusions	240	(1)
Suggested Readings	241	(2)
References	243	(21)
Abbreviations	264	(2)
Selected Environmental Web Sites	266	(3)
Index	269