Pollution & Health
Why We Need Administrative Agencies like EPA
Bureaucrats aren’t very popular. But consider the alternatives when it comes to dealing with environmental problems. Basically, bureaucrats are part of the executive branch of government. For instance, the head of EPA is appointed by the President and can be removed by the President at any time. (A few agencies such as the SEC enjoy …
Continue reading “Why We Need Administrative Agencies like EPA”
CONTINUE READINGSome good (and bad) news on air pollution
The American Lung Association has issued its State of the Air 2012 report. The news is mostly good. Since 1990, aggregate emissions of common air pollutants in the US have fallen 60%, even as the economy, population, and vehicle miles traveled have increased. Short term, the vast majority of the nation’s most polluted cities enjoyed …
Continue reading “Some good (and bad) news on air pollution”
CONTINUE READINGGuest Bloggers Erica Morehouse and Tim O’Connor of Environmental Defense Fund: 9th Circuit Allows CARB to Enforce the LCFS
(It’s exam season; so, for any remedies students out there this post can count as review!) On Monday, a motions panel at the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) can continue enforcing the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). This decision stayed (pending appeal) a trial court judge’s preliminary …
CONTINUE READINGNew journal issue on using the Clean Air Act to address greenhouse gas emissions
UCLA’s Journal of Environmental Law and Policy has just published its current issue, Volume 30, with all its content available free online in pdf format. This volume is a special symposium issue, featuring articles relating to the use of the Clean Air Act to address greenhouse gas emissions. Several of the articles’ authors were speakers …
Continue reading “New journal issue on using the Clean Air Act to address greenhouse gas emissions”
CONTINUE READINGA Side-by-Side Comparison of Romney and Obama on Energy and Environment
I’ve put together a table of language from the issues sections of the official campaign websites dealing with energy and environment. I decided to use the candidate’s own language to avoid interposing my own views on the issues. Please keep in mind that the table uses their language, not mine. Not surprisingly, the candidates frame …
Continue reading “A Side-by-Side Comparison of Romney and Obama on Energy and Environment”
CONTINUE READINGCoal, China, and Pollution
Air pollution in China is a global problem, because of climate change, and a California problem, because pollutants from China reach the U.S. West Coast. An article in the current issue of Nature has good news and bad news about coal and pollution in China. The good news is increased pollution control. The authors estimate …
Continue reading “Coal, China, and Pollution”
CONTINUE READINGPublic Opinion on Environment and Energy
Gallup has issued the results of a very interesting poll about environment and energy. Here are their findings: There’s surprisingly broad support for more vigorous environmental enforcement and more clean energy, including about half of Republicans. The reason for the partisan gap is that there’s such strong support among Democrats, not so much that all …
Continue reading “Public Opinion on Environment and Energy”
CONTINUE READINGCould Self-Driving Cars Help The Environment?
As companies like Google pioneer technologies to allow cars to drive themselves, futurists have been imagining a world where autonomous vehicles rule the roadway. Using computer programs, map data, complex sensors, and soon the ability to “see” all vehicles within miles, these cars hold the promise of averting the vast majority of car accidents caused …
Continue reading “Could Self-Driving Cars Help The Environment?”
CONTINUE READINGU.C. Davis Issues Nitrates in Drinking Water Study
The University of California at Davis has issued an important new study assessing the public health hazards associated with nitrates in California drinking water. The study, led by U.C. Davis Professors Thomas Harter and Jay Lund, contains some important and disturbing findings. The full study can be found here, the Executive Summary here. The new …
Continue reading “U.C. Davis Issues Nitrates in Drinking Water Study”
CONTINUE READINGThe Supreme Court Strikes Down the Clean Air Act
Not, not really. Not yet. Dan is a much more generous person than I am, and so it should be unsurprising that he believes that the Affordable Care Act cases do not threaten environmental law. I respectfully dissent. The Affordable Care Act seeks to establish laws for the health insurance industry — an industry that …
Continue reading “The Supreme Court Strikes Down the Clean Air Act”
CONTINUE READINGJoin Our Mailing List
Climate policy is changing rapidly. Stay in the loop with expert analysis via email Monday - Friday.
