Clean Air Act
Timeline of Important Events of the Topic, Environmental Connection and Stakeholders Involved
The wellness of the environment is based on various Acts such as the Clean Air Act. The latter aims at ensuring that the environment is safe and conducive for human stay and cohabitation. However, it is noted that the implementation of this Act is faced with various genuine criticisms such as prioritizing the economic benefit over the well-being of individuals. This research aims to outline the timeline of the enactment of the Clean Air Act, its aims, along with its limitations.
Enacted in 1963, the Clean Air Act is a federal law in the United States that was designed to control air pollution in the US, more so the emission of greenhouse gases from factories, manufacturing plants, machines, automobiles, and other sources of greenhouse emissions. It is one of the most influential environmental laws in modern history and the modern world. The Act has been amended several times, first in 1965, then 1967, 1970, and 1999 (US EPA, 2020). These amendments helped to shape the scope of environmental pollution in the US, increasing scope, jurisdiction, and enforcement of regulatory bodies. The Act is subtly responsible for the formation of the EPA, which was established to increase federal involvement and enforcement in environmental laws in the United States.
Besides, the Clean Air Act, on its initiation, aimed at putting more strict measures in regard to air quality standards. In this case, the Act ensured that the quality of air is within consumable levels. Moreover, there were standards that were aimed at limiting air pollution among states. In this regard, the states were to habitate in a manner that would ensure that the environment is conducive for each other. The aim of this move was so as to reduce conflict. Therefore, the Clean Air Act aimed at ensuring that there is a peaceful coexistence among states and that the quality of overall air is up to standards.
The Clean Air Act has experienced several achievements since its enactment. According to the EPA, greenhouse emissions have reduced by approximately 68% since the enactment of the Act- albeit, during a period where there has been tremendous growth in GDP (175%), vehicle miles travelled (111%), population (44%) and energy consumption (35%). This decrease represents massive gains in environmental conservation (US EPA, 2020). However, the Act still faces several issues moving forward, and this includes the effect of emissions that travel downwind from areas apart from the US (mostly Asia), ending up in the US and reducing the level of air quality. The Act also faces criticisms from numerous researchers and NGOs that fault the Act and lawmakers in the US, for prioritizing current economic benefits at the expense of health risks from air pollution and sustainability, which should be the transcending themes for environmental sustainability. These criticisms and apparent limitations form the scope of the argument against the Act and the topic for the research.
In conclusion, the Clean Air Act enactment unfolds as a series of events from 1965 to 1999. This Act aimed to prevent pollution and subsequently enhance the well-being of individuals. The Clean Air Act aimed at enhancing peaceful coexistence by ensuring that all the states are in fruitful and sound relations. However, the Act had several criticisms with the main one being its focus on prioritizing the economic benefit at the expense of the health risks.
References
US EPA. (2020). Air Quality – National Summary | US EPA. Retrieved 30 May 2020, from https://www.epa.gov/air-trends/air-quality-national-summary
US EPA. (2020). The Plain English Guide to the Clean Air Act | US EPA. Retrieved 30 May 2020, from https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/plain-english-guide-clean-air-act