Question

1. Why is energy policy connected to environmental policy?

2.   What changed in the 1980s that lead to much less action on environmental policy in the US?

3.   List 3 areas of environmental policy identified by Environmental Policy as dominated by states. Only 3 answers please. No need for explanations.

4.   What is policy implementation?  

5.   Why is fracking a controversial method of obtaining oil and gas in the U.S.?

Answer 1

Ans 1 – Energy policy is the process and procedures to be followed for energy production, distribution and consumption. It concerns the efficient use of energy with involves reduction in the hazardous emission in the environment. Hence, energy policy is connected to the environmental policy.

Ans 2 – In most of the 1980s the environmental policy was relaxed and amended to reduce the emissions of gases for business growth. There was a scandal at the Environmental Protection Agency and controversies in the Interior Department. The main reason the industries gave for relaxing the environmental policy was the cost they were incurring for adhering to the existing laws.

Ans 3 – 3 areas of environmental policy are Air pollution, Water pollution and Solid waste disposal.

Ans 4 – Policy implementation means enacting Acts which concerns, address and regulates particular agenda in the policy itself. By implementing Acts, rules and regulations are imposed on the industries and consumers for the proper control of implementation and management of the policy.

Ans 5 - Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a technique designed to recover gas and oil from shale rock. Fracking is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside. Environmentalists say potentially carcinogenic chemicals used may escape and contaminate groundwater around the fracking site. The industry suggests pollution incidents are the results of bad practice, rather than an inherently risky technique. There are also worries that the fracking process can cause small earth tremors.