Environmental policy

acid rain

rain containing high amounts of chemical pollutants

bubble standard

Devised by the EPA - it refers to the total amount of air pollution which can come from a given factory.

clean air act

1970- law that established national standards for states, strict auto emissions guidelines, and regulations, which set air pollution standardds for private industry

command and control strategy

a strategy to improve air and water quality, involving the setting of detailed pollution standards and rules

earth day

A day created in 1970 about celebrating and caring for the Earth

environmental impact statement

Statement required by federal law from all agencies for any project using federal funds to assess the potential affect of the new construction or development on the environment.

EPA

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; responsible for managing federal efforts to control air and water pollution, radiation and pesticide hazards, environmental research, hazardous waste, and solid-solid waste disposal.

NEPA

National Environmental Policy Act that acknowledges that the Federal government must consider the environmental impact of a proposed federal action. Provided the basis for EISs.

offsets

An incentive devised by the EPA to replace some rules. If a company wants to open a new plant in an area with polluted air, it can do so if the pollution it generates is offset by a reduction in pollution from another source in that area.

pollution allowances or banks

A reduction in pollution below that required by law that can be used to cover a future plant expansion or sold to another company whose pollution emissions are above the legal requirements.

scrubber

device that is used to remove some pollutants before they are relased by smokestacks

water quality improvement act

Made oil companies pay some of the cleanup costs of oil spills and set limits on the discharge of industrial pollutants in the air