Untitled Deck

Question 1

EPA

Answer 1

Created under Nixon in 1970 because of public pressure (Cuyahoga river caught fire and people were seeing visible signs of environmental degradation)
Foundation was NEPA, Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act
Headed by Micheal S. Regan

Themes: Environmental Regulation, Branches of gov.

Question 2

Valuation of Natural Resources:

Answer 2

Use Values : How can this natural resource be used

Non-Use Values: Ecosystem services, amenity (this being there is net positive)

Existence Values : This natural resource has a value simple because it exists

Themes: Environmental Econ

Question 3

Executive Branch

Answer 3

Sets the agenda & budget, appointments, executive orders and then has influence of international environmental regimes

Themes: 3 branches

Question 4

Legislative Branch

Answer 4

Writes laws : Mike Johnson is the Speaker of the House, Hakeem Jefferies is the minority leader.

Themes: 3 branches

Question 5

Judiciary Branch

Answer 5

Interprets laws, ensure agencies follow obligations

Themes: 3 branches

Question 6

Leverage Point

Question 7

Teratogen

Answer 7

Birth defects

Themes: Toxics, Risks/Endpoints

Question 8

Inflation Reduction Act

Answer 8

Camoflauged environmental legislation
Legislation under Joe Biden that funds environmental non profits,
Environmental Justice earmarks and investment in green energy and green jobs

Themes: Presidential power, budget/bill riders?

Question 9

Precautionary Principle

Answer 9

In the absence of scientific consensus, the burden of proof should fall on those taking an action…. (How does this maybe contrast with legislation on the books)

Themes: Risk

Question 10

Climate change as a systems example

Answer 10

Interconnected systems

Question 11

Synergistic Interactions

Answer 11

Effect of a combination of chemicals (often not thought about in regulations or in chemical testing)

Themes: Risk

Question 12

Compare TSCA and the Lautenberg Act revision of TSCA consider burden of proof, responsibility of the manufacturer, who pays, and responsibilities of the EPA

Answer 12

TSCA: EPA has burden of proof, EPA has a 90 day time limit and if found dangerous EPA has to pay

Lauttenberg Act: Manufacturer has to pay if found damaging, EPA has to research existing and new chemicals on the market, EPA can collect fees (up to 25 million)

Themes: Risk, policy

Question 13

Why link US to Global Environmental Politics?

Answer 13

America’s place on the world stage

America’s level of emissions

America’s conflicting interests

US environmental policies are models globally (what are the pros and cons)

Question 14

Environmental Justice including an example

Answer 14

Social inequities reflected in environmental policy and access

Examples of EJ issues:
Higher levels of pollution in historically poor areas of Boston

Flint Michigan

Kenya & forestry

California and asian american environmentalusm

Question 15

Climate Justice including an example

Answer 15

Dynamic between developing and developed nations

Case Study

Environmental refugees in Somalia

Question 16

Lucas v. S.C. Coastal Council

Answer 16

Development owner protests regulations which prevent him from developing a piece of land as that land is being eroded away

Themes: Courts, Regulatory Taking

Question 17

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the following environmental Actors or Regulators:

Answer 17

Nation-States
* United front
* Resources can be pooled
* Self interested
* Administrational instability
Multilateral Organizations
* Forum
* Amplifies the voices of smaller parties
* Limited power
* Geographical differences
NGOs
* Expert knowledge
* Moral and Civic Obligations
* Funding
* No real authority
Regional Organizations
* Common environmental issues
* Amplifies smaller voices
* Nothing forcing participation
* Major economic differences
Industry
* Lobbying
* Multi national
* Profit > Environment

Question 18

Standing in Court

Answer 18

Who has the right to speak for whoever?

Ex: Mass v EPA, FoE v Laidlaw
Themes: the courts

Question 19

Compensatory Federalism

Answer 19

When federal government is unsure, indecisive or not present, states can and should step in

Themes: States v federal

Question 20

Tragedy of the Commons

Answer 20

The abuse of a common resource due to the diffusion of responsibility

Question 21

Lautenberg Act

Answer 21

Requires evaluation of existing chemicals w/ a specific lens of vulnerable populations

Empoweres R&D

Increases transparency

Funds EPA

Question 22

FIFRA

Answer 22

1947 - Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act - Pesticide Manufacturer needs to submit potential risks to government
1972 - Amendment - EPA reviews label provided by company, if the pesticide causes proves harm, company can appeal and if hazardous in the end EPA pays for buying it up

Question 23

TSCA

Answer 23

EPA has burden of proof, EPA has a 90 day time limit to test and EPA must do a cost benefit analysis (balancing regulation and safety w economic factors?!

Question 24

Gridlock

Answer 24

1970s - consensus in congress about environmental issues
1980s - No longer can see the effects of environmental policy, polarization gridlock
1985-1990 Eased gridlock
Now - MODs, Gridlock

Themes: Talking across the divide

Question 25

A President’s First 100 Days in Office

Answer 25

Honey moon period where it easiest to get things done, president tends to have more power (at least senate and house) and gridlock problems are less prevelant

Question 26

Frames

Answer 26

Words have associations - what we emphasize, how and what we explain, and what we leave unsaid

Question 27

Endocrine Disruption

Answer 27

Hormonal disruption can cause infertility | Themes: Risk / Endpoints

Question 28

Carcinogen

Answer 28

Cancer causing issue | Themes: Risk / Endpoints

Question 29

Mutagen

Answer 29

Inheritable mutation | Themes: Risk / End point

Question 30

Daubert Test

Answer 30

Test: Theory / Technique can be tested It can express uncertainty Peer Review Accepted in the field Reputable scientist Is this test relevant and will it help the tier of facts? | Themes: Courts + Science Communications

Question 31

Paradigm Shift

Answer 31

Shift in mentality, norms, principles and values

Question 32

‘Strict Father’ versus ‘Nurturing Parent’ Worldviews

Answer 32

Two frames to view the government Strict Father : Individual, short term, profit maximizing, patriarchal Nurturing parent: Community, diversity, freedom of expression | themes: talking across the divide and frames

Question 33

Daubert v Merrill Dow

Answer 33

After children are born with birth defects, citizens sue the company for not testing sufficiently. This case set the standard for evaluating whether science should be used in a legal case - the Daubert test has been used in OJ Simpson’s trial | Themes: Risk, science communication

Question 34

Limits of Command and Control Regulation

Answer 34

Apparent uniformity (hint this is untrue) Apparent Simplicity Discourage innovation Displacement of harms

Question 35

Rational Choice Theory

Answer 35

People make choices based on self interest?

Question 36

Why is “value neutral” misleading?

Answer 36

Costs to who and benefits to who? There are always biases in this and because of this, while cost-benefit analysis can be useful in quantifying effects, it is only useful when its lack of neutrality is acknowledged | Themes: Environmental Econ

Question 37

Benefit-Cost Analysis

Answer 37

Evaluating the costs and benefits of a policy | Themes: Environmental Econ