Public policy discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Public policy discussion - Assignment Example These environmental discussions are still held every year in chosen countries around the world. Part 1 The states have become an alternative avenue in the formulation of the environmental policy in two main ways. One is that the states are faced with varied environmental challenges. The states become an avenue through which the federal government collects data from the citizens of those states. The states are represented in the congress and therefore the issues they raise are heard by the federal government. The federal government uses this information from all the states to formulate a national environmental policy. In the same the federal uses the states to collect information, it is the same channel that the federal government in conjunction with the states governments implement the environmental policy (HarperCollins 56). This is the other function of the states in environmental matters. In addition to this, when the policy is being implemented, its effectiveness should be evalua ted in order to determine whether the desired results are being achieved. This determined through the officials deployed by the government in the states using various programmes. After the Clean Air Act of 1963, changes were made to the Water Pollu ­tion Control Act of 1948 (Robert. This is when Washington started pressing the states to set pollution standards and to come up with implementation frameworks which were based on the federal government's guidelines. Another perfect example is when the Congress gave way to the policy innovation at the end of 1969 when it passed the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The act provided that it is the role of the Federal Government, in together with State and local governments, and other interested public and private institutions, to put in place achievable means and measures, not forgetting financial and technical support, in a way aimed to maintain and promote the general wellbeing, to develop and promote situations whereby human b eing and the environment could exist in beneficial harmony, and at the same time achieve the economic, and other needs of current and future off springs of Americans. Clinton is praised for his environmental appointments and for his strong government sup ­port for programmes like the restoration of the Florida Everglades and other decision based on new innovations and approaches to ecosystem management. Clinton reversed major decisions of the Reagan- and Bush-era that were highly criti ­cized by environmentalists (Hanna 53). He also increased government expenditure and spending on environ ­mental initiatives, initiatives towards green energy and conservation research, and international populace policies (MarianR 67). Government definitely is a major player in the environmental affairs, and the federal government will go on having unique roles, as will the fifty states and the 80,000 local governments across the United States. The involvement of states in environmental regulati ons crafted by the federal government varies from one state to another based on the environmental challenges they might be facing. In the past two decades, the states are coming up with their own environmental policies which are of course in line with the federal gover