During the course of Barack Obama’s first term as President of the United States, 2008-2012, it was apparent to the nation that environmental policy has taken a back seat to the increasing costs of two wars overseas and a declining economy. In spite of financially strapped situation, Obama felt it was absolutely necessary to promote environmental issues like energy independence and fuel efficiency. Considering the historical trends, the ups and downs of the industry, different presidential administrations created numerous legislation and varying priorities on the topic.
Previous environmental policy trends among past administrations have neglected these important issues. In reviewing the historical trends of the 1970’s, the first Earth Day of 1970 demonstrated the need for environmental policy to become part of the political agenda.
During this time President Nixon felt regulation on air pollution and control were important aspects policy that needed to be implemented. During the course of his administration, the passage of several environmental policies was implemented. For example, National Environmental Policy of 1969, Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970, and the Marine Protection Act of 1972 marked some of the legislation passing during this time.
The Ford administration also demonstrated some environmental conscious by passing the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980.
Reagan initiated a very significant policy, the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, a much contested topic of waste disposal and prevention almost 30 years later. Other legislation that was passed during the Reagan administration was The Food Security Act of 1985, and the reauthorization of the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1986.
The first Bush administration, George H. Bush authorized the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, set new requirements for the Clean Air Act of 1990, and the initiation of the Energy Policy Act. Finally a comprehensive policy for energy dependency from foreign oil passed in this act.
The Clinton administration implemented a new approach to the issue of food sanitation and pesticides, and passed the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. Unfortunately during the course of this administration, not many environmental policies were passed during this time. Although environmental policy was important to his administration, conflicting polices and public opinion made it difficult to produce any worthwhile policies during this time.
Then came the dreaded George W. Bush administration that trampled any historical environmental trends or progress that would have benefited the environment, people or animal. The so called “Healthy Forests Restoration” was nothing by the name of the bill, but actually allowed the cutting down of forests. The brief little summaries of this act portray forests needing healthy pruning, but were not the intent of this particular president. One of the most significant decisions in environmental policy by this administration was the United State’s withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol in climate change.
“George W. Bush will go down as the worst environmental president in our nation’s history”
This quote by Robert F Kennedy Jr. from 2004 still stands true eight years later.
Now at the end of President Barack Obama’s first term as president of the United States, his initiatives in improving fuel efficiency, energy independence, improving technology, and improving the national economy cannot be taken lightly. Not only was he presented with the greatest financial distress since the Great Depression almost 80 years ago, the largest federal budget deficit, two world wars with no end in sight, and a nation with no hope for the future, he was able to turn around the scary place the nation was heading. The Obama administration was able to learn from the previous administration, and utilized the positives of the legislation that passed during previous administrations, like the Nixon and Reagan administrations. Although those previous administrations were dealing with far more simplistic environmental issues than are presently now considered, for example, global warming.
It takes great insight to realize that strong environmental policy does have its costs, but a far greater return on its investment. Can you imagine that people drove Hummers and Yukons on our residential streets getting 8 miles a gallon and creating obnoxious emissions? In only four years time, we have a greater variety of hybrid vehicles that almost any family can afford to purchase as well as gasoline vehicles that perform at least 40 miles per gallon. That initial push for increased fuel efficiency by the car industry at the beginning of his term was the momentous occasion when everyone realized that finally environmental policy has a place on the political agenda, and it wasn’t going anywhere!
