First-generation pollution control laws are hardly ideal for fighting climate change, but they do offer worthy tools in the absence of GHG-specific legislation. The Obama administration has been signaling for some time that the Environmental Protection Agency will use its Clean Air Act authority to regulate GHGs (though incredibly, the U.S. Senate will soon vote on a measure that would block the EPA from enforcing the Clean Air Act to fight global warming).

Interestingly, the EPA is now considering using water law to fight ocean acidification — the other major climate change issue facing us. Following a law suit settlement reached with the plaintiff, the Center for Biological Diversity — that claimed the agency failed in recognizing the impacts of acidification on coastal waters — the EPA will consider how states can address ocean acidification under the Clean Water Act. Hopefully, the Clean Water Act’s water quality requirements could be applied in some sort of review of CO2 emissions sources to eventually find ways to reduce them.

In 1970 the Environmental Protection Agency was formed and to raise awareness it sent photographars around the United States to shoot pollution, people and places. Here are some of the photos and their stories.

Full photo collection (15 000) can be found here.

Here is a photo that hits him:

Original Caption: Miner Wayne Gipson, 39, with His Daughter Tabitha, 3. He Has Just Gotten Home From His Job as a Conveyor Belt Operator in a Non-Union Mine. as Soon as He Arrives He Takes a Shower and Changes Into Clothes to Do Livestock Chores with His Two Sons. Gipson Was Born and Raised in Palmer, Tennessee, But Now Lives with His Family near Gruetli, near Chattanooga. He Moved North to Work and Married There, But Returned Because He and His Wife Think It Is a Better Place to Live 12/1974

The Ontario government is seeking comments on a draft Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reporting regulation that would phase in requirements and support the implementation of a cap and trade program that can link to other GHG systems. This proposal has been posted for a 30 day public review and comment period starting October 07, 2009 until November 06, 2009.

The regulation proposes the following requirements:

Yesterday, an excellent PBS Frontline documentary on the environmental degradation of The Chesapeake  Bay and Potomac River was aired. The show outlines some of the current problems, but also traces the interesting evolution of the environmental mouvement back in the 1960s, which culminated in the the first Earth Day in 1970. During the 60s, a series of environmental disasters spurred the american government into action. Under Nixon, some progress was made, but the administration was not particularly interested in the environment. Nixon even called the E.P.A., “Eppa”. Times, they are a changing.

The documentary clearly states that the driver for clean-up is enforcement. Without it, people do not act. Reagan, under the mantra of de-regulation, gutted the EPA. Enforcement was handcuffed, regulations removed. The Reagan administration tried to do something different for Chesapeake Bay – a voluntary program. As you might expect, improvements were very slow to come.

The main culprit for pollution to the bay is agriculture, notably chicken production. I emphasize production, because it is not farming. Chickens are grown for consumption in the millions. Over the past 30 years, american per capita chicken consumption has tripled. You can have half a million chickens in a given farm and all that manure neads to be dealt with. One farm, produces 570 million chickens that in turn generate 1.5 billion pounds of manure a year – more than combined the human waste from New York, Atlanta, Chicago and San Francisco.

Currently, animal waste, manure, does not need to be treated before being re-introduced into the waterway. They tried to pass regulations, but the industry lobbied to make the requirements voluntary. As mentioned above you can imagine how that has worked out.

On this earth day, one small act we can all do is to eat less chicken.

P.S. The other half of the documentary is on urban development and stormwater run-off – the other half of the problems in the Chesapeake Bay and Potomok River.

The recent Federal budget has made some room for environmental initiatives. These vary from green infrastructure to regulatory changes. In total there are 51 mentions of “environment” and 23 mentions of “environmental” in the recent budget; not exactly overwhelming. Overall, it seems like a missed opportunity. In this time of uncertainty, the Federal government could have used their freedom to spend on initiatives such as clean tech, energy efficiency, government transparency, simpler regulations and other items which would create jobs and stimulate a 21st century economy. Instead, they seemed focused putting in enough token gestures to have it passed. 

Not too much else to convey, except our disappointment on the vision of this budget. While our neighbours down south are planning ambitious projects such as doubling renewable energy production, higher auto fuel efficiency standards and a return to the greenhouse gas negotiating table - us progressive canadians are taking baby steps. Below, I have pulled the main environmental items from the budget. 

Full budget

CBC Summary of Environmental Items

Environmental excerts from the budget:

Reporting

Improving the Government’s annual reporting on key environmental indicators such as clean air, clean water and
greenhouse gas emissions with $10 million in 2009–10.

Green Infrastructure Fund

Targeted investments in green infrastructure can improve the quality of the environment and will lead to a more sustainable economy over the longer term. Green infrastructure includes infrastructure that supports a focus on the creation of sustainable energy. Sustainable energy infrastructure, such as modern energy transmission lines, will contribute to improved air quality and lower carbon emissions.

Budget 2009 provides $1 billion over five years for a Green Infrastructure Fund. Funding will be allocated based on merit to support green infrastructure projects on a cost-shared basis. Canada’s Economic Action Plan Immediate Action to Build Infrastructure .

Regulatory

In addition, the Government will implement administrative changes to streamline application of the Fisheries Act, and regulator y ef ficiencies will be pursued for projects subject to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. For example, for projects requiring a federal environmental assessment decision, regulations could allow one environmental assessment process to meet federal and provincial requirements, by agreement with the provinces and territories.

60 new small craft and 30 new environmental response barges that will suppor t Canadian Coast Guard operational requirements across the country. 

Currently, infrastructure approval processes are subject to duplication and inefficiencies in administration, leading to unnecessary project delays. The Government will be introducing changes to the federal regulator y framework throughlegislative, regulator y and administrative actions to drive ef ficiencies in assessing environmental and other impacts of infrastructure projects without compromising protection of the environment. 

Clean Energy Fund

A new Clean Energy Fund that suppor ts clean energy research development and demonstration projects, including carbon capture and storage. 

McKenzie Gas Project

Providing $37.6 million in suppor t of environmental assessments, regulator y coordination, science, and Aboriginal consultations related to the Mackenzie Gas Project.

Lastly, I love how Changing to a Green Energy Economy is a one line in the budget! If it were actually done, it would be one of the largest engineering projects ever done by Canada.