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PLSC final exam
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Environmental justice | Investment in marginalized communities who are affected more by environmental issues systemically |
Integral ecology (Laudato Si) | Need to address social and environmental crises at the same time |
Cost benefit analysis (BCA) | Depends on what the statute allows, need to compare value of intangible goods and monetary costs |
Command and control | Goals, criteria, quality standards, emission standards, enforcement |
Market based mechanisms | Marketable permit systems, emission taxes, fees and charges, subsidies, tax and subsidy combinations |
Clean Air Act 1970 | Identified criteria pollutants, health based criteria, setting quality standards |
Criteria air pollutants | Carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, lead, ozone |
NAAQS | National Ambient Air Quality Standards- set by EPA using health based criteria |
SIPs | State implementation plans- each state’s plan for emission standards for each source of criteria pollutants in the state |
Stationary sources | state restrictions for preexisting sources, factories etc. |
Mobile sources | federal restrictions from EPA, cars etc. |
Existing sources of pollution v new or refurbished sources | Existing sources abide by state restrictions, new/refurbished sources follow federal restrictions |
California’s plan to transition to EV | CA only allowing new EV by 2035, challenged to infrastructure, labor, mineral availability, supply chains |
International agreements on air pollution mitigation | CLRTAP, Acid Rain Treaty, Ozone layer protection |
CLRTAP | Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution, northern hemisphere |
Acid Rain Treaty | Canada-US Air Quality Agreement |
Ozone layer protection | Montreal protocol- phase out ozone depleting substances |
Planet’s available water resources | 97% in the ocean, 2.5% freshwater, 1.2% surface water, 69% in glaciers |
History of water regulation | Rivers and Harbors Act 1899, Reclamation Act 1902, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Federal Water Pollution Control Act, Clean Water Act |
Rivers and Harbors Act | Prohibits creation of any obstruction to navigable capacity |
Reclamation Act | Proceeds from sale of federal land are used for irrigation projects |
FWPC Act | Federal government to carry out research and provide financial and technical assistance to local authorities to encourage them to build and upgrade water treatment systems |
US Bureau of Reclamation | Constructs dams/powerplants/canals, largest wholesaler of water, second largest producer of hydroelectric power |
Clean Water Act 1972 | Focuses on surface water, contributes to protection of groundwater |
Types of point sources | industrial discharge, POTWs, indirect discharge, CAFOs, dredge and fill materials |
WOTUS definition debate | any discharge of pollutant from a point source into navigable waters |
WOTUS: back and forth | Vague definitions led to Obama era EPA rule with broad definition, challenged and blocked in court, Trump administration issues new rule with narrower definition, Biden reverts to Obama rule |
POTWs | Publicly owned treatment works |
CAFOs | Concentrated animal feeding operations |
NPDES permit | National pollutant discharge elimination system- effluent limitations, self monitoring obligations, self reporting obligations, EPA inspection powers, EPA has power to sanction and prosecute |
Nonpoint sources | Pollution that does not come from a clear source, caused by rainfall or runoff, regulated on a state level |
State role in regulating nonpoint sources | designated uses, water quality standards, state plans, impaired waters (total maximum daily loads) |
Regulated interests and nonpoint source regulation | Agricultural organizations, timber and construction industry, meatpacking, coal mining, distributors of business |
Ground water | Necessary for rural population, irrigation, domestic uses, many possible sources of contamination |
Safe Drinking Water Act | Requires states to develop a wellhead protection programs for wells in their state and submit it to EPA for approval |
health based approaches | cost oblivious, regulator mush achieve a reasonable certainty that no harm will result |
feasibility statutes | require agencies to regulate toxic health risks but only to the extent feasible |
risk benefit statutes | require agency to consider BCA and balance the risks and benefits of a chemical product |
informational approaches | producers need to provide all necessary information relating to chemicals and risks, market forces manage risks and reduce harm |
Dark Waters | PFAS (forever chemicals), lawyer takes on DuPont, stalled process, wins against DuPont |
cradle to grave regulation | Design and manufacture or importation from abroad, storage, transportation/handling, distribution, sale, use, disposal or reuse |
fossil fuels | Account for 80% of all energy, coal (electricity production), oil (transportation), natural gas (electricity production) |
RES and Nuclear | No direct GHG emissions from operations |
Bush energy policy | Prioritizes economic growth and energy independence |
Obama energy policy | Balanced economic recovery and environmental protection |
Trump energy policy | Promoted fossil fuels and promised resurrection of coal |
Biden energy policy | Infrastructure Investments and Job Act, Inflation Reduction Act |
NIMBY | Not in my backyard |
Deepwater Horizon | Exploratory drilling, behind schedule, blowout preventor malfunctioned, 11 dead, rig sank, oil kept spewing from well, leaked for 87 days |
federal land management | Public v private, what use is allowed, state v federal ownership, funding and staffing, ecological protectors v role as facilitators of industry and commerce |
CITES | Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora- appendix 1 (species threatened with extinction), appendix 2 (species that require protection), appendix 3 (species listed voluntarily by states) |