Environmental Policy

Environmental policy in the U.S. 

The environmental policy of the United States encompasses its efforts to regulate actions that affect the environment. These policies have the goal of furthering environmental protections and bringing an end to the inequalities induced by environmental hazards. The first official environmental policy legislation was enacted in 1970 when Nixon signed the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) into law. NEPA became a guide which federal agencies had to follow regarding environmental considerations. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was also established in 1970 and is responsible, under the guidelines of NEPA, for reviewing environmental impact statements and determining their acceptability for government agencies. The Clean Air Act of 1970 and the Clean Water Act of 1972 are two of the most crucial laws passed by the EPA; they established controls on the toxins and pollutants that are released into the air and water by agencies and businesses. 

The environment is protected through statutes (passed by Congress) and regulations (passed by federal agencies). Statutes and regulations empower the EPA to issue formal rules that apply to companies and promote cleaner mechanisms of production. A portion of the money allocated to the EPA by Congress is filtered to individual states, who enforce some of these regulations. 

In the past thirty years, there has not been a major environmental law passed by the EPA. In 2007, in the case of Massachusetts v. EPA, Massachusetts called on the EPA to regulate CO2 and other emissions levels that contribute to global warming, arguing their regulation should be required under the Clean Air Act because of their potential dangerous health effects. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the EPA, who rejected the claim that the Clean Air Act mandates regulation of greenhouse gases. To this day, the EPA has not directly addressed the need for sweeping regulation in the fossil fuel industry. 

 These laws and regulations have saved businesses money and benefit the general welfare of the public. In 2020, however, it is unclear if the basic mechanisms of the EPA will survive. The Trump administration has proposed budget cuts in the billions for EPA funds. The White House is in the process of rescinding regulations from the Obama era, such as regulations on coal mining and caps on methane levels. The administration has worked to undermine international efforts to combat climate change. In 2017, Trump announced that the United States would pull out of the Paris Climate Accord, which in 2015 unified 197 in the agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming to well below 2°C. The United States’ withdrawal from the agreement will officially be put into effect in November 2020. Yet, the Trump administration has already worked to unwind previous global advancements in curtailing the effects of climate change. 

The Trump administration is business-friendly and pro-deregulation to support the fossil fuel industry. They have lifted bans on oil and gas exploration in refuges, reserves, and other formerly protected areas. Trump has also issued an executive order that for every new regulation, two must be eliminated. Deregulation curbs efforts to protect air and water quality and respond to climate change issues. There are 74 actions to date that the administration has taken to weaken environmental protections. 

One beacon of hope in environmental progress is the Green New Deal, which was proposed in February 2019. The resolution’s main goal is to facilitate a complete switch to renewable energy by 2030 all while creating jobs and providing a wide scope of economic security. The resolution has been devised and promoted by many Democrats such as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senators Bernie Sanders and Ed Markey; moderates such as Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden have also advertised their support. There has been a significant effort during the Trump era to block or reverse the measures introduced by the Green New Deal. Yet the core of the Deal has survived the battering from Republican lawmakers and has become a rallying cry in the lead-up to the 2020 election. 

Environmental Policy in Massachusetts 

The Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) mandates that agencies review the environmental consequences of actions and that they avoid or minimize environmental risks where possible. With these measures in place, Massachusetts has become one of the leaders in clean energy and climate policy. There is a statewide limit on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, with the goal of achieving 10–25% below 1990 levels for 2020 and 80% below for 2050. Massachusetts is also faced with the challenge of reducing dependence on fossil fuels while balancing protecting consumers from price volatility and securing economic growth opportunities. So far, Massachusetts has saved approximately $2.5 billion over 10 years of launching an aggressive energy efficiency program. Massachusetts cannot singlehandedly end climate change, but the Commonwealth has made substantial efforts to build an economy focused on clean energy and progressive climate policy. 

Environmental policy during COVID-19 

Emissions for 2020 in the U.S. are expected to be lower due to changes brought on by the COVID-19 lockdown. The rolling back of environmental regulations has already counteracted some of these positive developments, and the federal government has used the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to exempt itself from following these regulations.