|
Winter 1998 |
Prof. Norm Vig |
PURPOSE
This course focuses on the development of the environmental movement and of federal environmental law and policies since the 1960s. It is designed both as an intermediate-level public policy course in political science and as an STPP-track course in the ENTS concentration. It emphasizes the governmental institutions, processes, and regulatory policies for controlling pollution (in air, water, and soil), with some attention also to the recent controversy over public lands policies and natural resource issues. Students are expectedto become familiar with the major environmental statutes and are required to write a 10-12 pp. policy analysis paper on implementation and/or reform of one specific piece of legislation (due March 9). There will also be a mid-term exam and final exam.
REQUIREMENTS
The course will be lecture/discussion format, with class participation expected. Grading will be weighted as follows:
|
Mid-term |
30% |
|
Paper |
30% |
|
Final |
40% |
|
Class participation |
20% |
The following are required texts (available in bookstore or on closed reserve):
Bullard, Dumping in Dixie
Findley & Farber, Environmental Law in a Nutshell, 4th ed. (1996)
Kraft, Environmental Policy and Politics
Switzer, Green Backlash
Vig & Kraft, Environmental Policy in the 1990s, 3d ed.
These books are on open reserve in the library:
Arbuckle et al., Environmental Law Handbook, 12th ed.
Botkin & Keller, Environmental Science
Environmental Statutes, 1995 ed.
Schoenbaum & Rosenberg, Environmental Policy Law, 3d ed.
Selected Environmental Law Statutes, 1994-95
READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR CLASS
I. Introduction and Overview
Jan 5 M Introduction to course
Jan 7 W Studying environmental policy
Kraft, chap. 1
Jan 9 F Trends in environmental quality
Kraft, chap. 2
Jan 12 M Environmental policy processes
Vig & Kraft {VK}, chap. 1; Kraft, chap. 3
Jan 14 W Federalism and the role of the states
VK, chap. 2; findley, ch. 2
Jan 16 F The environmental movement
VK, chaps. 3-4
II. Environmental Politics and Social Justice
M Jan 19 Conflicts over public lands and resources
Switzer, pp. 1-99
W Jan 21 Opposition from business and industry
Switzer, chaps 4-6
F Jan 23 The war at the grassroots (Guest lecturer: Prof. Harvey Jacobs)
Switzer, chaps. 7-10 (esp. 8 and 10)
M Jan 26 Environmental politics and racial justice
Bullard, chaps 1-4
W Jan 28 The environmental justice movement
Bullar, chaps. 5-7
F Jan 30 Analysis of environmental justice claims
VK, chap. 11
III. Political Institutions and Environmental Policymaking
M Feb 2 The environment and the presidency
VK, chap. 5
W Feb 4 Environment and Congress
VK, chap. 6
F Feb 6 The role of the cours
VK, chap. 8; findley, 1-24
M Feb 9 MID-TERM BREAK
W Feb 11 The Environmental Protection Agency
VK, chap. 7
F Feb 13 (!!!) MID-TERM EXAM
all of above
IV. Major environmental Laws and Policies
M Feb 16 The National Environmental Policy Act
Findley, 24-56
W Feb 18 The Clean Air Act
Kraft, 82-88; Findley, 88-127
F Feb 20 The Clean Water Act
Kraft, 88-92; Findley, 127-145
M Feb 23 Toxic substances and hazardous waste
Kraft, 92-97; Findley, 182-222
W Feb 25 The Superfund mess
Kraft, 97-99; Findley, 222-245
F Feb 27 Natural resource preservation
Kraft, 131-156; Findley, 255-59, 294-310
V. Economics, Risk Analysis, and Regulatory Reform
M Mar 2 The economics of the environment
VK, chap. 9; Kraft, chap. 6
W Mar 4 Comparative risk analysis
VK, chap. 10
F Mar 6 The "greening" of business
VK, chap. 12
VI. The agenda for the future
M Mar 9 Sustainable development
Kraft, chap. 7
W mar 11 Issues and instruments
VK, chap. 17