1990's
- Economizing the Environment
The environmental movement in the United States in the 1990's suffered
from government cutbacks and public apathy. Once again, the economy and
human needs took center stage. During President Clinton's first term in
office, congressional cutbacks of federal programs continued, while the
rise of radical anti-environmentalists, and numerous other opponents of
the environment movement proliferated and sought to undermine the movement's
influence. In 1993, there was a rebirth of green products and packaging,
which consumers buy because they are specifically marketed as having environmental
benefits. However, in 1993 demands grew by both Congress and business leaders
for the administration to curtail the expense of environmental regulation.
In 1994 it was evident that President Clinton's administration was unable
to achieve its environmental goals. Most of President Clinton's environmental
proposals failed to win congressional approvals in the climate of economizing.
Selected
Events from the 1990's
| 1900 |
Nation's 23,638
largest industrial chemical users released some 4.8 billion pounds of toxic
chemicals into the air, water, or land or transferred those chemicals to
treatment and disposal facilities.
Stricter Standards
for the Clean Air Act.
Bush administration
began multibillion dollar cleanup of nuclear weapons facilities and power
plants.
Pollution Prevention
Act which sought to reduce the germination of pollutants through cost effective
changes in production, operation and raw materials.
Spotted Owl
listed under the Endangered Species Act
after much debate. |
| 1992 |
President Bush
instituted a 90-day moratorium on new regulations, including the environment.
Animal Liberation
Front fought against animal experiments. Members raided Oregon State University's
mink research farm and burned a barn.
First Earth
Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro. This was the first international
meeting of national leaders to address the problems of the environmental
decay in industrial states.
Record high
ozone destroying chemicals detected, Northern Hemisphere.
World population
at 5.5 billion.
Senator Al Gore
publishes "Earth in the Balance," which calls for tougher environmental
laws.
President Bush
refuses to sign the Biodiversity Treaty, which was part of the Earth Summit. |
| 1993 |
President Clinton
celebrated Earth Day by declaring his support for environmental issues,
and announcing the creation of a new national biological survey within
the Department of Interior.
President Clinton
announced that he would sign the Biodiversity Treaty and the pledge to
lower emission of greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by the year 2000. |
| 1994 |
103d Congress
passed the California Desert Protection Act that set aside million of acres
as protected wilderness in California. This was the only major new
environmental bill.
Congress rejected
nine other bills. |
| 1995 |
House proposed
legislation to deregulate the government, such as the Job Creation and
Wage Enhancement Act, which included a bill called the Risk Assessment
and Cost-Benefit Act. This bill required federal agencies like the EPA
to shoulder a substantial share of the costs of regulation.
House of Representatives
passed a measure that allowed property owners to demand compensation for
environmental regulations that reduced the value of their land by as little
as 20 percent of its fair market value.
House of Representatives
rewrote the Clean Water Act, which eased pollution controls on cities and
industry. |
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