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Science and Policy Interactions: A Case Study with Acid Rain
Citation:
RINGOLD, P. L. Science and Policy Interactions: A Case Study with Acid Rain. Presented at Oral presentation to a class at the Atkinson Graduate School of Management, Willamette University, Salem, OR, October 14, 2010.
Impact/Purpose:
Management of air pollution has a long history in the United States. A succession of laws, with the first Federal law, passed in 1955, has lead to substantial reductions in emissions and improvements in air quality.
Description:
Management of air pollution has a long history in the United States. A succession of laws, with the first Federal law, passed in 1955, has lead to substantial reductions in emissions and improvements in air quality. These laws were simulated originally by acute local effects on human health and ecosystems, but have increasingly been designed to reduce chronic regional effects as well. While analyses show that benefits substantially exceed control costs, the control costs imposed on industries, governments and individuals are substantial. As a result, there has been and continues to be an intimate connection between science and policy in the management of air pollution. A general model showing an idealized relationship between science and policy will be developed and illustrated by examining acid rain research and management. Attention was first drawn to acid rain in the early 1970’s with calls for research and policy attention. In 1979 and interagency effort, the National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program, was established to coordinate research across federal government necessary to inform policy. The ten year program eventually expended $600 million and provided numerous policy relevant reports. As a result of NAPAP research, the clean Air Act Amendment of 1990 developed a program to control acid rain. In contrast to previous “command and control” approaches to manage pollution, and in contrast with approaches considered during policy deliberation throughout the 1980’s, Congress chose to manage acid rain with an innovative cap and trade approach. As a result emissions have been reduced at costs much lower than con template. Continuing monitoring programs show that the aquatic effects of acid rain have been lessened. Economic analyses show that the benefits are about 40 times greater than the control costs. The cap and trade approach is often discussed in deliberations on other pollutants including green house gases.