Controversial Environmental Issues

Political disagreement over how the U.S. government has and should respond to national and global environmental problems sets the foundation for discussion in Controversial Issues in Environmental Policy. Kent Portney shows how value disputes have found their way into the policymaking process, pitting the values of science, technology, and economics against the practice of politics. Within this context, the author examines how the American government makes environmental policy-at federal and state levels, as well as their enforcement agencies designed to protect and regulate the environment. A succinct description is offered of the processes followed by federal agencies, especially the processes and problems found in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Portney also discusses legislation, public opinion, implementation, and non-implementation over water, air, and soil management issues, such as acid rain, ozone depletion, air and water quality, and hazardous waste. Controversial Issues in Environmental Policy is designed for use by academics and students in public policy, environmental politics, and public administration. "My favorite is from a locally published book, Controversial Issues in Environmental Policy-a college textbook used nationally, which is quite hard-hitting and fun to read. . . . When it comes to saving the environment, the voters will have to ascertain the individual candidates' views rather than their party affiliation. That is the message of this book . . . " -Los Angeles Times "Public environmental policies in the United States, and many of the controversies surrounding these policies, are dissected and assessed here." -Sage Urban Studies Abstracts