Clean Air

Clean Air

Air pollution has long been one of the most significant negative impacts of industrial society. Smoggy cities lead to increased asthma rates and carbon emissions currently threaten the global environment. Under the Clean Air Act, and its various amendments, the Environmental Protection Agency is empowered to regulate American industry to minimize or eliminate the dangers posed by airborne contaminants. In 1990, Congress set up a cap-and-trade program to deal with emissions that caused acid rain and ozone depletion. It is a striking success.

Commentary

Clean Fuels Standard

Northeast Clean Fuels Standard = Thousands of Jobs, Billions of Dollars

August 16, 2011
Why on Earth Do We Listen to Those Who Cry Wolf?

Why on Earth Do We Listen to Those Who Cry Wolf?

July 28, 2011

Republicans Can't Name A Single "Job Killer" Regulation

January 25, 2011
US Capitol building

Darrel Issa’s Government Handover

January 05, 2011

Cry Wolf Quotes

High energy costs, like taxes, just make New Jersey a tougher state in which to do business. This is not a partisan issue, it’s just a bad deal for New Jersey.

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Philip Kirschner, president of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, represents 22,000 employers in the state.

The Chamber said that the proposed legislation would [Amending the Clean Air Act would ] vastly increase the cost and complexity [of the law by more than $20 billion a year]

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Chamber of Commerce opposes the 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act.
08/23/1990 | Full Details | Law(s): Clean Air Act of 1990

We believe the way in which the law is currently administered conflicts with other important national goals -- the need to increase productivity levels, to create new jobs and to spur development of domestic energy sources.

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James Evans, Chairman of the Union Pacific Company, on behalf of U.S. Business Roundtable, Washington News.
11/22/1980 | Full Details | Law(s): Clean Air Act of 1977

Because of our guilt—and because of the media’s espousement (sic) of the movement—laws were passed which asked industry and the American consumer for the impossible. The members [of Congress] admitted they did not know what could actually be done to clean up our environment, how long it would take or how much it would cost. But they went ahead anyway in the spirit of political expediency to ramrod through measures that would affect millions of people and billions of dollars…

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Gary D. Knight, Associate Director for Environment, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Commerce Public Presentations

Evidence

Backgrounders & Briefs

Good Rules: Ten Stories Of Successful Regulation

Demos looks at ten laws and rules that we take for granted.

The Secret History of Lead

This immense article is an intricately detailed history of leaded gasoline, from the industry's early cover-ups to their attempts to defeat EPA regulations.

The Removal of Lead From Gasoline: Historical and Personal Reflections

First-person historical analysis of the leaded gasoline fight.

Resources

Political Economy Research Institute is a think tank focused on a variety of subjects such as diverse financial regulation, living wages and environmental protection.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is the agency that oversees auto and highway safety regulations, auto recalls, and CAFE standards.

Blue Green Alliance is an alliance of labor and environmental organizations.

Green for All is a leading environmental oranization focused on creating green jobs for low-income communities and people of color.