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Environmental Science > Chapter 7 > Flashcards

Chapter 7 Flashcards

1
Q

What is the definition of policy?

A

A formal set of general plans and principles to address problems and guide decision making

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2
Q

Why do some reservoir rocks, like those in western New York, western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio require hydrofracturing to release the gas that is stored in pore space within the rocks?

A

Low permeability inhabits flow of gas

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3
Q

The concept of Tragedy of the Commons applies to situations where _

A

Commonly held and used resources are degraded because no one has responsibility for maintenance

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4
Q

What is the most effective way to avoid overexploitation of natural resources?

A

Government oversight

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5
Q

What was the intended purpose of the FIRST wave of environmental laws (1780-1800) in the US?

A

To promote settlement and enable extraction of resources from the West

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6
Q

What was the intended purpose of the SECOND wave of environmental laws (1800-1960) in the US?

A

To alleviate the impacts of westward expansion and protect dwindling resources and animals

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7
Q

What was the intended purpose of the THIRD wave of environmental laws (1960-1980) in the US?

A

To clean up industrial toxic waste, clean up the shared resources and protect citizens form environmental exposure.

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8
Q

What is Shale?

A

A sedimentary rock made of fine sediments (less than 1/256th mm) many of the grains are clay minerals.

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9
Q

Why is deep water sediment on the Continent?

A

During the Devonian sea level was higher

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10
Q

Where can you find shale?

A

Often deposited in deep water basins of slow moving swampy environments

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11
Q

Hydrofracking the Marcellus Shale

A
  • Clay rich
  • low porosity
  • low permeability
  • Very rich organic matter
  • Concerted organic matter to oil then natural gas
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12
Q

Hydraulic Fracturing

A

Injecting pressurized liquid into shale after it has been broken up to allow the gas to move the well.

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13
Q

How is Hydraulic Fracturing good?

A
  • Increase gas availability
  • decrease price
  • high efficiency
  • lower emission local fuel
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14
Q

How is hydraulic fracturing bad?

A
  • May contaminate water
  • Increase fossil fuel use
  • 1 in 1,000 wells are defective
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15
Q

Federal Government has exempted oil & gas companies form 7 major federal regulations

A

Because we are overlooking the good of hydraulic fracturing

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16
Q

Public Policy is…

A

policy made by government

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17
Q

Environmental policy

A

Policy that pertains to human interactions with the environment

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18
Q

Lobbying

A

Spending time or money to influence an elected official’s decision

19
Q

Vested interest

A

special interest shown by people, organizations, or corporations that stand to benefit from a policy

20
Q

Seven Major Laws

A
  • Clean Air Act
  • Clean Water Act
  • Safe Drinking Water Act
  • National Environmental Policy Act
  • Resource Conservation & Recovery Act
  • Emergency Planning and Community Right to know Act
  • Superfund
21
Q

Purpose of Environmental Policy

A

Science, ethics, and economics should inform policy,

Addresses the issues of fairness and resources

22
Q

Tragedy of Commons Concept

A

A shared resource in which any given user reaps the full benefit of their personal use, while the losses are distributed among all users

23
Q

Tragedy of Commons privatization

A

privatization works if property rights are clear, does not work with air, water, ocean

Public oversight through government is often used, most assured way to avoid overexploitation

24
Q

Free Rider

A

one entity (business, factory, etc.) that does not participate in a voluntary effort to improve the environment (e.g., reduce pollution)

25
Q

External costs of free riders

A

harmful impacts of market transactions are borne by people not involved in the transaction

26
Q

What went wrong that the Oil and Gas industry influenced government so strongly?

A
  • Property owners and businesspeople think regulations are overly restrictive, bureaucratic, and costly
  • Problems develop gradually and over the long term
27
Q

Science should inform policy because It is based on data

A
  • Some policy makers let political ideology determine policy
  • Government scientists have had their work censored, suppressed, or edited and had their jobs threatened.
  • Public has been mislead by the misrepresenting of scientific knowledge
28
Q

When taxpayer-funded research is suppressed or distorted for political ends

A

everyone loses

29
Q

Federal Policy’s Three Branches

A

Executive: orders
Legislative: Law
Judicial: Interprets Law

30
Q

Agencies

EPA, USFS, NOAA, DOE, HHS, BLM

A

interpret how the law applies to them and writes riles to implement the laws

31
Q

First Wave/Era of Environmental policy

A

colonized the west and harvested the recourses found there

- part of Manifest Destiny Movement

32
Q

Second wave/era of Environmental policy

A

Conservation and Preservation of the pieces left.

33
Q

Third wave/era of Environmental policy

A

protecting population from harm from industrial pollution in the east and overharvest in the west.

34
Q

Early US Environmental Policy, all promoted use of environment as a source of economic strength and opportunity

A

Homestead Act
General Mining Act
Timber Culture Act
(part of 1st wave)

35
Q

2nd Wave Laws

A

Yellowstone Act,
Forest Reserve Act
Wilderness Act

36
Q

3rd wave laws

A
  • Creation of the EPA - bc of Nixon
  • Toxic Substances Control Act
  • Endangered Species Act
37
Q

Rachel Carson

A

Wrote Silent Spring

  • described effects of pesticides like DDT
  • bioaccumulation
38
Q

What is Command and Control

A

An approach in which a regulating agency sets rules or limits or prohibits actions

39
Q

What does Command and Control do?

A
  • Threatens punishment for violators
  • Brings cleaner air, water, safer workplaces, etc.
  • Benefits from environmental regulations outweigh costs
  • Approach may fail if there are unforeseen outcomes
40
Q

Economic Tools

A

Green Taxes

41
Q

What are Green Taxes

A

taxes on environmentally harmful activities

42
Q

What do Green Taxes do.

A
  • Businesses reimburse the public for damage they cause
  • The more pollution, the higher the tax payment
  • Give companies financial incentives to reduce pollution with freedom to decide how to do so
  • But costs are passed on to consumers
  • Used widely in Europe, but not in the United States
43
Q

Subsidy

A

a government giveaway of cash or resources to encourage a particular activity

44
Q

Cap-and-Trade

A

an emissions trading system in which the government sets pollution levels (“caps”) and issues permits

Environmental Science (8 decks)

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