Texas Environment Policy And Federal Water Regulations

Writer’s Name

Course

Instructor

Date

Texas Environment Policy and Federal Water Regulations

The environmental protection policies and water quality management is provided through federal and state agencies and their function is to evaluate, monitor and legalize the process in Texas. Water quality has remained a major issue for general masses and regulatory bodies over the past few decades. Agencies at federal and state level have been trying to address the issue of nationwide and local regulations in collaboration with political, cultural, environmental and social needs and demands. Federal law has introduced the clean water act for the regulation of water pollution ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"HZu8QtFz","properties":{"formattedCitation":"({\\i{}Troubled Waters 2018})","plainCitation":"(Troubled Waters 2018)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":164,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/9Hfkg8Y0/items/KV8YT359"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/9Hfkg8Y0/items/KV8YT359"],"itemData":{"id":164,"type":"webpage","title":"Troubled Waters 2018","abstract":"America’s waterways provide us with drinking water, places to fish and swim, and critical habitat for wildlife – when they are clean and protected.\nThe passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972 was a tu","URL":"https://environmenttexas.org/reports/txc/troubled-waters-2018","language":"en","accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",10,9]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Troubled Waters 2018). The main purpose of these policies is to restore the ecological as well as biological situations that can help in keeping the integrity of the state’s water. As there are specific laws meant for Texas that are responsible for governing surface and ground water, the state will have to play an active role. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality manages the surface water supply. In Texas, the pesticides used in agricultural and municipal situations are not regulated and flow into the water systems without being checked ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"JAAV5tdb","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Bolhassani)","plainCitation":"(Bolhassani)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":160,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/9Hfkg8Y0/items/45LYFXFX"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/9Hfkg8Y0/items/45LYFXFX"],"itemData":{"id":160,"type":"article-journal","title":"Groundwater Management Policy in Texas: Challenges and Recommendations","container-title":"Texas Water Policy","URL":"http://www.texaswaterpolicy.com/student-research-papers","language":"en-US","author":[{"family":"Bolhassani","given":"Behnaz"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2014"]]},"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",10,8]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Bolhassani). Though the conditions of the water regulation are not well controlled by Texas government, there is need for licensed system to keep the parameters of quality water in accordance with the federal and state laws.

Studies have suggested how industrial services in Texas violate environmental laws and allow the dumping of chemical and human waste in water bodies. The Texas Commission for Environmental Quality is the state’s regulatory agency for enforcing environmental laws. But recently, this body is condemned as it exposes detrimental threats on the air pollution and applying the regulations in the state. Moreover, the Environmental Protection Agency has also weakened its command and role and since Trump administration came in to office, it limited the potential of EPA in Texas. According to the report by ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"0GcP9SHT","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Jose)","plainCitation":"(Jose)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":162,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/9Hfkg8Y0/items/4UR3J43D"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/9Hfkg8Y0/items/4UR3J43D"],"itemData":{"id":162,"type":"webpage","title":"The Sorry State of Environmental Enforcement in Texas","container-title":"Planetizen - Urban Planning News, Jobs, and Education","abstract":"Industry is \"routinely violating\" clean water laws, but both state and federal regulators seem to be looking the other way.","URL":"https://www.planetizen.com/news/2018/03/97826-sorry-state-environmental-enforcement-texas","language":"en","author":[{"family":"Jose","given":"Katharine"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2018"]]},"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",10,8]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Jose);

There’s been a decrease in federal enforcement under the Trump administration, both in the number of cases the EPA is pursuing, as well as the fine amounts issued. In the first six months of the administration, the agency collected 60 percent less in fines compared with under Obama, Bush and Clinton.

Texas has always been the most environmentally irresponsible state and Texas Commission on Environment Quality has never been known for passionate implementation of environmental regulations, but it was answerable to EPA and the two bodies had several clashes. Recently EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt broadcasted that the agency will pursue to cancel the Clean Power Plan by President Barack Obama to fight climate change. The statement is the newest attempt of the Trump administration's moves to unravel several environmental regulations both on national level as well as Texas-specific that pushed the state to reduce industrial emissions as they are associated with global warming, human sickness and reduced visibility on roads and even national parks ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"WNYDYNFR","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Tribune and Collier)","plainCitation":"(Tribune and Collier)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":166,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/9Hfkg8Y0/items/WGUI3MTR"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/9Hfkg8Y0/items/WGUI3MTR"],"itemData":{"id":166,"type":"webpage","title":"What does Trump's repeal of environmental rules mean for Texas?","container-title":"The Texas Tribune","abstract":"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has moved to unwind several Obama-era regulations designed to slash air pollution, protect the quality of major waterways and spur cities to reduce ozone.","URL":"https://www.texastribune.org/2017/10/13/what-does-trumps-repeal-environmental-regulations-mean-texas/","language":"en","author":[{"family":"Tribune","given":"The Texas"},{"family":"Collier","given":"Kiah"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2017",10,13]]},"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",10,9]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Tribune and Collier). Other conventions on the cutting block would allow the federal government to control small rivers and swamps so they do not leak waste into larger waterways and to entail automakers to proliferate fuel efficiency standards ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"bgu2Vi4Z","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Jose)","plainCitation":"(Jose)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":162,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/9Hfkg8Y0/items/4UR3J43D"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/9Hfkg8Y0/items/4UR3J43D"],"itemData":{"id":162,"type":"webpage","title":"The Sorry State of Environmental Enforcement in Texas","container-title":"Planetizen - Urban Planning News, Jobs, and Education","abstract":"Industry is \"routinely violating\" clean water laws, but both state and federal regulators seem to be looking the other way.","URL":"https://www.planetizen.com/news/2018/03/97826-sorry-state-environmental-enforcement-texas","language":"en","author":[{"family":"Jose","given":"Katharine"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2018"]]},"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",10,8]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Jose). These recent policies by Trump administration have a direct impact on the environmental and water regulations of Texas as federal agencies will follow up the progress of all departments and indirect impact on the country as Texas was one of the largest contributors of gaseous emissions and water pollution in the water bodies. These policies will help improve the overall air and water quality and decrease the amount of emissions.

Works Cited

ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Bolhassani, Behnaz. “Groundwater Management Policy in Texas: Challenges and Recommendations.” Texas Water Policy, 2014, http://www.texaswaterpolicy.com/student-research-papers.

Jose, Katharine. “The Sorry State of Environmental Enforcement in Texas.” Planetizen - Urban Planning News, Jobs, and Education, 2018, https://www.planetizen.com/news/2018/03/97826-sorry-state-environmental-enforcement-texas.

Tribune, The Texas, and Kiah Collier. “What Does Trump’s Repeal of Environmental Rules Mean for Texas?” The Texas Tribune, 13 Oct. 2017, https://www.texastribune.org/2017/10/13/what-does-trumps-repeal-environmental-regulations-mean-texas/.

Troubled Waters 2018. https://environmenttexas.org/reports/txc/troubled-waters-2018. Accessed 9 Oct. 2019.