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Environmental Policy and air pollution

Environmental policy and air pollution

Environmental policy is one of the serious and important parts of the public policy that should not be ignored. There are various issues that are being focused on by the Texas government. One of the main issues cause’s severe problems not only for public and Texas government but also for the federal government is environmental policy and air pollution. There have been seen three biggest environmental issues that plague Texas and that are poor air, water quality that used to be contaminated because of the pollution of oil refineries and harmful chemical plants. A number of oil refineries are greater and the effects of oil spills are causing hazardous effects on the overall environment.

Current status and roles of Texas and Federal governments

According to the reports, unauthorized air pollution in Texas has been recorded up to 27 percent in 2017. Experts after the analysis have presented a report and according to that report, there are 275 companies across that state that emitted 63 million pounds of climate-warming and hazardous pollutants in 2017. The Clean Air Act (CAA) has established a number of permitting programs designed to carry out of the goals of the act. According to the latest forecast for air quality conditions of Texas's metropolitan areas shown the forecast for Ozone is PM2.5 and PM10. There are clear pieces of evidence that shows that industrial facilities of Texas stand first in the rank of illegal water pollution. A study by Texas environmental group and a California think tank found that almost half of Texas’s major industries released illegal concentrations of pollutants in river, lakes and other waterways.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the government of Texas have a tenuous relationship. Texans could be hurt by this protection agency of the federal government is going to stop funding for the environmental programs. Hazardous effects have been witnessed as the federal government cuts off its support against the environmental issues that Texas is fighting with. The federal government has limited its support for regulating the emission of injurious carbon and polluted water that there are the two main causes of the environmental issues in Texas. As far as Federal government is concerned for controlling the increasing issue of ozone it is trying is to make effective policies against air pollution in Texas, it has introduced it Clean Air Act that helps in maintaining the air quality by reducing the air pollution.

Importance of the selected topic for Texas and the United States

Environmental policy and air pollution are of great importance as the environment is the main thing that cast direct effects on the health and growth of Texas. Keeping an eye on the pollution and environmental policy that is being made for Texas is also important for the federal government Texas on Lonely Side of Battle over Ozone Science. It has been seen that most of the scientists believe that if there would be less ozone pollution in the air, people would breathe better but Texas environmental regulators disagree. They believe that high level of Ozone exacerbates various conditions such as asthma, lungs diseases, and other heart diseases. This topic is of great importance for both the governments as it is pollutants coming for the oil refineries and other industries are polluting the environment a lot. For the federal government this thing is equally important as the government aim to reduce the overall pollution.

United State is one of the leading countries that is facing more pollution issues for it. In the United States there are certain areas that are adding a lot when it comes to air pollution and environmental issues. Called by the Houston Chronicle is one of the toughest enforcers of clean-air laws in Texas. Strict action is being taken against the biggest air polluters for making the situation the better by Environment Texas. It is being considered that most of the environmental policies are being made for catering the air pollution as it has been that in Texas the root cause of all the main environmental issues is the chemical plants and refineries.

The federal government on the other hand, also faced many issues

Different issues faced by each level of government

Texas State has been facing air pollution issue since long and the state government had many clashes with the federal government. There could be witnessed various issues that are being faced by each level of government. As far as the issue of air pollution is considered it could be said that there are two main governments that used to play an effective role.

Issues faced by the state government are linked with financing. Funding has been interrupted and stopped by the federal government and this issue has been a headline for the world since 2004. There has been seen many conflicts that have been raised between the officials of two levels of government (state and federal government). Another issue that was faced by the state-level government is that during the time when Bush was in power, EPA used to send flexible instructions to the permit holders. They used to send them a notice for reminding them regarding their obligations that they have to adjust according to the requirements of the federal government. When there came Obama' government, then they started sending more forceful and threatening messages that were more like the warnings for Texas that their approach does not comply with the Clean Air Act. As a result, the federal government set some limits on pollutant emissions from each of the sources that are directly linked with the industries in Texas.

On the other hand, it could be said that federal government had to face many issues from the side of Texas. It has been seen that federal government determined and questioned and said that Texas programs does not meet at all the requirements of national Clean Air Act that makes sure protection of health and environment too.

Position and their pros and cons

The position that has been taken by Texas against pollution and the environment policies shows that the state government is taking this issue of the pollution quite seriously. Government is taking every possible step for making public awareness and for controlling the issue of oil pollution that comes from the oil refineries and hazardous chemicals from the chemical plants. Clean Air Act was first enacted in 1965. Its main aim was safeguarding of the air resources that Texas has. On the other hand, it was made for protecting the health along with the physical property of people.

Pros

It is the Act that helps for improving the health conditions of the general public and it is the most important feature of this act. There are other lawsuits as well that are being made for reducing air pollution, but it is the only way through which not only the focus is being shifted for taking action against the companies that are adding a lot in air pollution.

It also focuses its attention on protecting the resources help for protects the health of people.

Cons

It takes action against many companies so it won’t be wrong to say that it is having negative effects on the economy of Texas.

There are evidences that federal government is not happy as Texas programs does not meet all the requirements of CAA.

Other considerations those are important

There are various considerations and steps that are being had been taken by Texas as well as the federal government for coping the issue of environmental pollution and mainly air pollution is the most effective issue among all. Pieces of evidence show that federal officials and environmental regulators who were working for making policy for Texas faced many internal conflicts that arose from the dispute about state’s air pollution permitting rules over the issue of state rights. There are many steps and considerations that are being taken by the government. Texas Clean Air Project is the main consideration that is being focused more so that conditions of environmental issues could be improved.

Best consideration

This fact cannot be denied that the federal government had been long making efforts for overcoming the environmental issues in Texas. One of the best positions that are being taken by the federal is the introduction of EPA. It is the program that keeping in considerations permitting of air emission, air quality monitoring, and management of the air resources. One of the most appealing things that have been witnessed in EPA is permitting for Greenhouse Gases (GHG). Final approval for the majority of the revisions for the plan of Texas State Implementation was submitted to the commission that had the topic Environmental Quality (TCEQ). It is interesting to note that EPA and Texas collaborated for identifying the additional elements that should be added for making updated rules for meeting all the requirements of the Clean Air Act. It is the best option that has been selected as it is this program of air pollution that is going to control the rest of the environmental issues that mainly arises because of air pollution.

Work Cited

Evans, Mary F., and Sarah L. Stafford. "The Clean Air Act Watch List and federal oversight of state enforcement efforts." Journal of Environmental Economics and Management 93 (2019): 170-184.

Rinfret, Sara R., and Michelle C. Pautz. "Is It Working? Evaluating Environmental Policy (written by Jeffrey J. Cook)." US Environmental Policy in Action. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2019. 257-286.

Strasser, Brian, Su Chen Teh, and Daniel S. Cohan. "Air quality and health benefits from potential coal power plant closures in Texas." Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association 69.3 (2019): 333-350.