Op-Ed Assignment

The trends in environmental policy from the years 1970 – 2008 have fluctuated greatly in their influence on the American population. The fluctuations were due to the party in the executive office, the configuration of the senate (amount of Democrats versus Republicans), the judicial branch, the economy, and America’s perception of impacts on the environment during different legislative time periods; all of these factors played a substantial role in the development and implementation of environmental policies from the 1970’s until now. What impact did these historical fluctuations mean for President Obama’s term in office from 2009 -2012?

Since the 1970’s public concern and support have risen substantially in regards to the environment. Government responses to the environment and problems that arise are important primarily because environmental threats represent public or collective goods problems. Prior to the 1970’s the United States government played a limited role in environmental policy making. This period (mainly the 1960’s) represented a time when Congress set aside portions of public land areas for preservation as national parks, forest, grazing lands, recreation areas, and wildlife refuges. It wasn’t until the 1970’s that the U.S. government started to play a dominant role in the development of policy making in the area of environmental policy. The reasons the government started to become so active were due to a changing perception of the American people and an energy / economic crisis.

The 1970’s represented a time when air and water pollution, and a different view of natural resource consumption were a part of the national agenda. The first Earth Day was April 22, 1970. Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) at the end of 1969 which required detailed environmental impact statements. President Nixon used NEPA as his first official act of 1970 and proclaimed the 1970’s as the “environmental decade”. Jimmy Carter’s presidency was mostly concerned with conservation issues. The area designated as national wilderness more than doubled and Mr. Carter helped pass the Superfund bill to clean up toxic waste sites. The 1970’s was also a time period in which Congress implemented the Clean Air Act of 1970and the Clean Water Act of 1972 as amended in 1977. The judicial branch began to establish themselves as a permanent player in environmental policy-making by collaborating with administrative agencies.

The 1980’s were a reversal of the “environmental decade”. President Ronald Reagan was in power and he reevaluated the scope of government regulation and began to shift responsibilities to the states, and rely more on the private sector. Reagan had an anti-environmental agenda and viewed environmental conservation as fundamentally at odds with economic growth and prosperity. Although Reagan cut many of the environmental agencies funding the United States Congress was still a driving force in implementing changes in environmental policies. Congress’s achievements during the 1980’s were its strengthening of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act in 1984, Reauthorization Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act (1986), and the Clean Water Act of 1987. Many court cases during the 1980’s began to set a precedence for the interpretation of environmental policy laws, many of which are used today. The end of the era and the election of George H.W. Bush began a reversal of the anti-environmental policies used during the Reagan presidency. President Bush pursued a bi-partisan act in the Clean Air Act Amendments and he drafted a bill to control acid rain, reduce air pollution, and lower emissions.

The 1990’s were an era of environmental concern. Clinton reversed many of the Reagan and Bush era executive actions that were widely criticized by environmentalists, and he favored increased spending on environmental programs, alternative energy and conservation research, and international population policy.

The turn of the century and President Bush Jr. used his executive powers to advance an anti-regulatory, pro-business agenda throughout most of his tenure. George W. Bush departed from the positions of the Clinton administration and relied heavily on the conservative constituencies to staff the EPA and the Interior of Agriculture and Energy departments. More power was given to the states to enforce environmental laws. The oil shortage and raising gas costs were an integral part of Bush’s policies; which concentrated mostly on the war with the Middle East. Congress during this time lowered the appropriation funds to environmental agencies so the impact of other government agencies was minimal because the environmental agencies did not have much money to allow the implementation of pro-environmental policies.

How did the past policies influence President Obama’s accomplishments during the last four years? How was Obama able to overturn many of his predecessor’s policies and implement a more pro-environmental policy agenda? The recession during this time period played a significant role; Americans were more receptive to new changes which would create more jobs. Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, and Obama’s dedication to education for new training in these new technologies allowed for the creation of new jobs; economic incentives in the form of tax breaks for employers using new green technologies paved the way for a new pro-environment mind-set of the American people. Obama’s ability to reach the public and convince them that the newly established federal policies for cleaner air and water were the path to take in order to move America in the right direction of a more sustainable country. Congress reached a consensus on many bi-partisan bills which influenced many of the environmental policies and allowed the states to establish their own criteria in regards to stricter standards for greenhouse gas emissions. The newly restructured EPA, had more influence and stronger guidelines to implement policies at the federal level, which has allowed for a more cohesive policy interpretation from the top-down. Many Americans are much more willing to incorporate “green” initiatives into their daily lives, which has allowed for the overall public perception of being environmentally friendly to travel in a more positive direction. Hopefully, this trend will continue during the next administration and America will continue to lead the way in becoming a “greener” society.