Environmental Disasters and Clean Air Act Paper

Two-part assignment: All parts must be at least 200 words unless otherwise noted. Please read all attachments and follow ALL instructions.

Part 1: Environmental Disasters

Consider the BP gulf oil spill and the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Is it appropriate to respond to particular environmental incidents with legislation to protect our waters? Discuss the role(s) for business in the regulation of non-point source pollution.

Part 2:   Clean Air Act

Analyse whether tradable emissions permit to pollute enhance or detract from the intentions of the Clean Air Act. From a business perspective, do tradable permits encourage the adoption of cleaner technology more than statutory requirements that set limits on pollution? Use one outside source in addition to your textbook to inform your analysis.

Required Resources

Text

Read the following chapters in your text, Environmental Law:

Chapter 4: Clean Water Act (CWA)

Chapter 5: Clean Air Act (CAA)

Text: Schroeder, K.L. (2008). Environmental Law. Retrieved from https://www.vitalsource.com/

Multimedia

View the video: (2010, September 27). National resource damage assessment coast survey (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://bp.concerts.com/gom/natural_resource_damage_assessment_coast_survey_092710.htm . This site supports the Multinational Corporations and Disaster Response assignment for the week.

Recommended Resource

Article

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The plain English guide to the Clean Air Act). Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-08/documents/peg.pdf

Week 3 Guidance – Clean Water Act (CWA) & Clean Air Act (CAA)

Welcome! This week, we will discuss the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act. The learning outcomes are as follows:

1. Examine the role of business in environmental disaster response and regulation.
2. Analyse the Clean Air Act and emissions permits.

Required Resources

Text

1. Read the following chapters in your text, Environmental Law:
2. Chapter 4: Clean Water Act (CWA).
3. Chapter 5: Clean Air Act (CAA) Articles

Multimedia

1. View the video: (2010, September 27). National resource damage assessment coast survey. Retrieved from http://bp.concerts.com/gom/natural_resource_damage_assessment_coast_survey_092710.htm This site supports the Multinational Corporations and Disaster Response assignment for the week.

Recommended Resources

1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The plain English guide to the Clean Air Act. Retrieved from http://www.epa.go/air/peg/index.html.

Discussions

Participate in the following discussions:

1. Environmental Disasters. 1st Post Due by Day 1.Consider the BP gulf oil spill and the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Is it appropriate to respond to particular environmental incidents with legislation to protect our waters? Discus the role(s) for business in the regulation of non-point source pollution. Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.
2. Clean Air Act. 1st Post Due by Day
3. Analyse whether tradable emissions permits enhance or detract from the intentions of the Clean Air Act. From a business perspective, do tradable permits encourage the adoption of cleaner technology more than statutory requirements that sets limit on pollution? Use one outside source in addition to your textbook to inform your analysis. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts.

Assignment

1. Multinational Corporations and Disaster Response. Due by Day 7. After reading Chapter Four of your textbook and viewing the National Resource Damage Assessment Coast Survey video, prepare a two-to-three-page paper (excluding title and reference pages) that assess the skills, knowledge, experience, and preparation necessary for a manger of a multinational corporation that caused an environmental disaster.

Analyse how a manager should develop or obtain the skills, knowledge, experience, and preparation necessary to be effective in working with stakeholders in such a situation. You may want to consider how the manager should work effectively with local stakeholders to implement the cleanup and negotiate the real or potential disputes related to the local economy.

This paper should be formatted according to APA style guidelines as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Students must use at least two scholarly sources (other than the text) and provide proper APA citation.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the evaluation of your assignments.

Reflection

Chapter 4 discusses the Clean Water Act (CWA) which regulates water to ensure it is clean and safe. Please note the general and specific definitions of U.S. waters in the act. The CWA makes use of a permit system, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) in the achievement of its goal.

(Refer to the definition of pollutant on p. 91 of your textbook.) The NPDES monitors substances discharged into waters and their levels of concentration. Familiarise yourselves with the NPDES permit process and the definition of point source.

The EPA employs technology based and water quality standards to ensure water quality. Refer to pp. 97-100 of the textbook to learn more about these standards.

The Oil Pollution Act (OPA) was passed in 1990, after the Exxon Valdez spill. The OPA requires a response plan in the event of spills and a National Contingency Plan that assigns responsibilities among federal, state, and local agencies. (Read about the Exxon Valdez Spill on pp. 106-112).

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) enacted in 1974 is a part of the CWA. The control on the use of municipal water system is addressed in this act.

Primary and secondary standards for regulating water contaminants were created under the SDWA. These standards regulate the quality of water for consumption. (Refer to pp. 103-106 to learn more about the SDWA).

Chapter 5 covers the Clean Air Act (CAA). The purpose of the CAA is the protection of human health and environmental quality through the use of specific air standards.

In 1963, the Clean Air Act (CAA) was passed to monitor and control air pollution.  The Motor Vehicle Air Pollution Control and the Air Quality Act were enacted in 1965 and 1967 respectively. CAA has been amended several times, in 1970, 1977, 1990, and 1991.

In 1970, federal mandate was expanded and comprehensive federal and state regulations for controlling pollution form stationary (industry) and mobile sources was established. The amendments in 1990 addressed acid rain, ozone depletion, and toxic air pollution. A national permits program for stationary sources was also established.

Technology is important to the effectiveness of the CAA due to the technology standards used. The CAA also uses emissions standards to control the quality of ambient air.

The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are set by the CAA for the following six pollutants: carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particulate matter, and sulphur dioxide.  Please read the entire chapter to learn about the CAA and the different amendments.

Reference

Schroder, K. L. (2008). Environmental Law. Clifton Park, NY: Thomas Delmar Learning.

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