There have been a number of changes that have occurred in environmental policy and environmental regulatory standards from the 1970s to the presidency of Barack Obama. The 1970s were marked by an increase in environmental awareness as well as individuals advocating for policies that would protect future generations. There was “an increasingly affluent and well-educated society placing new emphasis on the quality of life, [and] concern for environmental protection (Vig and Kraft, p.12). The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which was passed in 1979 was seen as a forerunner in setting the standard for future policy. Richard Nixon signed NEPA as his first official act of presidency in 1970, and declared the 1970s as the “environmental decade”. This Act was the first of many policies implemented within the 1970s including 11 other Acts that were passed to protect the environment. A few of the notable acts passed during this timeframe were, The Endangered Species Act of 1973 which was set in place in order to protect all “threatened” and “endangered” species. The Safe Water Drinking Act of 1974 which authorized the federal government to set standards and regulate the quality of public drinking water. Another important piece of legislation was The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, which mandated that the EPA set regulations for hazardous waste, its storage, transportation and disposal. Other Acts that were passed during the 1970s, include Coastal Zone Management Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, Federal Land Policy and Management Act, National Forest Management Act, Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, Clean Air Act (Amendments), Clean Water Act (Amendments), and The Public Utility Regulatory Act.
Ronald Reagan’s presidency in the 1980s shed a distinctly different light upon environmental policy. The goal of his administration was to reduce the amount of governmental regulation and thereby give responsibilities of environmental protection to the states. Reagan also desired to obtain the maximum amount of use out of the private sector. There were a number of budget cuts and reductions, and minimal enforcement of pollution laws and predevelopment resource policies. The EPA lost one-third of its operating budget and one-fifth of its workforce during this time (Vig and Kraft, p. 105). He also attempted to extinguish the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), however this failed and an uprising occurred amongst environmentalists and the general public who were becoming increasingly concerned over the state of the nation.
The 1990s brought new policy directions with the presidency of George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. George H.W. Bush sought to distinguish himself from the stances on environmental policy that Reagan took in the 1980s. His support for the Clean Air Act Amendments in 1990, which was a bipartisan effort, was one of the noteworthy achievements of his presidency. His goal was to control acid rain through the reduction of the detrimental emissions of coal-burning plants, to reduce air pollution in urban cities, and to lower the emissions of approximately 200 airborne toxic chemicals by 75 to 90 percent by the year 2000. (Vig and Kraft, p. 107). Throughout the latter parts of his presidency, George H.W. Bush lost the support that he maintained of environmentalists by taking similar stances previously held by Reagan during his administration. His administration began to pressure the EPA and other agencies to ease the regulatory standards set and to reduce overall regulation. He also threatened to boycott the Earth Summit in 1992, and refused to sign the Convention on Biological Diversity which set the tone for the closing of his presidency. He lost the support of the environmentalists who were once pleased with his initial zeal.
There were high hopes for the presidency of Bill Clinton, as his Vice President Al Gore had a strong environmental record within the Senate. Al Gore was given the responsibility of composing environmental policy under the Clinton administration. After taking office, Clinton abolished the Council on Competitiveness which had been established by George H.W. Bush. There were also a number of high ranking environmental leaders who were appointed to the cabinet and executive office positions. In 1995 the administration launched a “reinventing environmental regulation” program (Vig and Kraft, p. 110) where 40 new programs were created. The Clinton administration was successful in strengthening the EPA and in facilitating measures to protect endangered species and public lands. He established 19 new national monuments and enlarged the span of 3 others, which currently accounts for 6.1 million acres. He also issued the protection of 60 million acres of roadless areas located in national forests from future logging and development construction. Agreements were put forth to protect the land located in the Florida Everglades, Yellowstone National Park and redwood groves in California. Though the initiatives set by the Clinton administration were vast, climate change was not addressed under his administration and was becoming an increased concern for environmentalists.
George Bush’s administration was strong in its resemblance to the administration of Ronald Reagan. He supported a strong anti-regulatory stance on environmental policies and promoted the reduction of funding for the EPA. Though his administration promised to provide protections to the environment, many of his efforts were streamlined into increasing production and into representing those who made up his constituency including, industrial corporations, timber, mining, agricultural and oil industries. His administration suspended the regulations set in place by Clinton to protect 60 million acres of national forests which banned road construction, along with alleviating many of the controls of mountain-top removal in coal-mining (Appalachian Mountains) and the dumping of mining wastes in the rivers and streams. Bush also announced to the public that he would withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change which had been signed under the Clinton Administration. Further, Bush advocated for a national energy plan which would increase domestic production specifically for oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). His administration is remembered by environmentalists as one that was regressive in environmental policy and as one that impeded progression.
President Barack Obama’s administration spanning 2009-2012 is one that shows marked progress in environmental regulatory standards. His administration has been successful in progressing legislation for federally regulatory standards on greenhouse gas emissions for vehicles, where the standard was initially set in California. He has continued to build firm alliances with environmentalists and has appointed a number of environmental leaders to executive office staff positions in order to assist with creating policies that will aid in shaping future directions. Looking back to 2009, at the beginning of President Obama’s presidency his desire was for technology to be created which would allow Americans to utilize wind and solar power as means of energy, and for clean coal technology to be developed. President Obama has worked extensively with Congress in order to ensure that the Obama-Biden New Energy for America Plan is effective in meeting the needs of Americans. At this point in time, thousands of green jobs have been created for Americans, and 10% of our electricity comes from renewable sources, with the goal being 25% by 2025. These were goals set forth by President Obama during his campaign in 2008. America is becoming a leader amongst the industrialized world in Climate Change, and as one that is continually making developments to enhance the condition of green technology. President Obama has further changes that he desires to implement during the remainder of his presidency and will continue to strive to meet the needs of American people.
