- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Environmental regulations - Additional environmental regulations - Alternative energy sources [SLIDE 1] The federal agency that enforces environmental legislation is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA was created in 1970 to help deal with pollution, coordinate environmental research, and enforce federal environmental laws and regulations. The push to establish the EPA came about after nearly a decade of protests over environmental issues. After the publication of Silent Spring, a book about the negative impact of pesticides on the environment, scientists and other activists rallied around environmental causes.  The Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for several things including (1) protecting people from environmental risks, (2) managing environmental risks, (3) assessing the effectiveness of environmental laws, (4) ensuring environmental protection is part of U.S. policy, (5) providing accurate information on environmental risks, and (6) ensuring environmental legislation contributes to sustainable communities. The EPA established five strategic goals to help it fulfill its mission. These goals include (1) reducing air pollution, (2) improving access to clean and safe water, (3) promoting materials management, waste management, and clean sites, (4) enhancing preparedness for environmental disasters, and (5) enhancing environmental compliance.  [SLIDE 2] The Clean Air Act (CAA) is a federal law in the United States that regulates atmospheric emissions from several different sources. The CAA established national air quality standards and standards for sources of pollution. These standards have important implications for businesses that emit atmospheric pollution. The CAA is one of the most comprehensive laws affecting air quality in the world.  The Endangered Species Act is a federal law in the United States that protects threatened and endangered species and their habitats. The purpose of the law is to provide protections for animals that may become extinct. There are currently approximately 2,000 species that are endangered and threatened in the United States alone. Examples include the bald eagle, the American bison, and the red wolf. There has been some controversy surrounding the Endangered Species Act over the years, however. Some people, for instance, have bought land and then were unable to do anything with it because of federal protections.  The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is a federal law in the United States that gave the EPA the power to track industrial chemicals. There are approximately 75,000 industrial chemicals that are currently being imported or produced in the United States. The TSCA allows the EPA to screen these chemicals and test them to see if they are hazardous to either the environment or humans. The EPA can also ban chemicals that are a risk.  [SLIDE 3] The Clean Water Act was enacted in 1977 and gives the EPA the power to enact standards on industrial waste water. It requires companies to obtain special permits to discharge waste water into navigable waters. It also requires companies to create plans to prevent the run-off of storm water.  The Pollution Prevention Act is a federal law that was enacted in 1990 that works to reduce pollution by implementing changes in raw materials sourcing, production processes, and operations. The purpose of the act is to focus on ways to reduce energy, water, and other natural resources usage. Examples of strategies the law advocates to reduce pollution include sustainable agriculture, recycling, cleaner production techniques, and reducing the amount of raw materials companies need.  Many companies are dealing with environmental concerns by constructing buildings to be more environmentally friendly. These buildings are designed to use environmentally friendly materials, use less energy, and some even use less water. Approximately 40 percent of the total U.S. energy consumption comes from homes and commercial buildings, so environmental building practices can potentially have a big impact on the environment. The Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) is a certification program for sustainable building practices. It includes rating systems for designing and building environmentally friendly homes, buildings, and neighborhoods. [SLIDE 4] The Food Quality Protection Act is a federal law that was enacted in 1996 that changed how the EPA regulates pesticides. Under the new law, a pesticide could only be used on food if there was "reasonable certainty of no harm." In addition, the law also affords special protections for children, speeds up the approval of safer pesticides, creates incentives for the development of crop protection tools, and requires the periodic evaluation of pesticide registrations and tolerances to make sure they are current.  The Energy Policy Act became federal law in 2005. It is designed to promote alternative forms of energy to decrease U.S. dependence on foreign oil. The law encourages alternative forms of energy by giving tax breaks and loan guarantees to companies that produce nuclear, wind, solar, and other forms of energy. The law also gives temporary tax benefits to those who purchase fuel efficient hybrid cars. [SLIDE 5] Alternative forms of energy production are used to decrease the world's carbon footprint and provide energy that is generated in a way that is both clean and sustainable. Wind power is one form of alternative energy. Electricity generated by windmills is growing around the world. It is estimated that the United States can generate as much as 20% of its electricity from wind alone. Wind power is not cheap, however. Wind turbines are very expensive, and it also requires significant investments in restructuring the nation's electrical infrastructure. Geothermal energy is another reliable source of electricity. In this form of energy production, electricity is produced when water is inserted into holes that are drilled deep into the Earth that are near hot spots. The steam that is generated is then used to power electricity generating turbines. This form of electricity is very reliable and environmentally clean. However, it is very expensive to construct geothermal plants and to complete the necessary drilling. Some organizations already use geothermal energy on a small scale, like some IKEA stores.  Solar power is currently one of the most common forms of renewable energy. It's not uncommon to see solar panels on the rooftops of businesses, homes, and in other places. Although solar power is currently not competitive in price with power generated from nuclear, coal, and natural gas, the cost is steadily going down while the technology continues to improve.  [SLIDE 6] Nuclear power has had a significant impact on reducing global emissions. It is not with controversy, however. Many fear nuclear power because of the incident at Chernobyl. Fears of a meltdown and radiation contamination are always on people's minds. However, nuclear power has a very safe track record in the United States. Fourth generation reactors promise to be even safer. Fourth generation reactors solve many of the problems in current reactor designs and are considered to be "walk away safe" in the event of an accident.  Ethanol is another alternative energy source that is now very common. It is now required by law to be added to most of the gasoline that is sold in the United States. Ethanol, and other biofuels, are controversial, however, because they require a great deal of resources to produce them. Land is needed to grow the corn that is eventually turned into ethanol. And a lot of water and electricity is needed to make the ethanol. Because of the vast resources that are needed to make ethanol and other biofuels, many question whether ethanol production actually benefits the environment.  Hydropower is another common form of alternative energy production. It currently provides 19 percent of the world's total electricity and seven percent in the United States. Although electricity generated from dams is very clean, it is still controversial because entire ecosystems are often destroyed when artificial lakes are created.