Lessons from the Clean Air Act

Examines the successes and failures of the Clean Air Act in order to lay a foundation for future energy policy.

This book examines the Clean Air Act to find lessons to inform policy makers at the state and federal level with regard to shaping energy and climate policy. Students and scholars will benefit from a structured introduction and evaluation of some of the most prominent programs under the Act.Climate and energy policy needs to be durable and flexible to be successful, but these two concepts often seem to be in opposition. One venerable institution where both ideas are apparent is the Clean Air Act, first passed by the United States Congress in 1963, with amendments in 1970 and 1990. The Act is a living institution that has been hugely successful in improving the environment. It has programs that reach across the entire economy, regulating various sectors and pollutants in different ways. This illuminating book examines these successes - and failures - with the aim to offer lessons for future climate and energy policymaking in the US at the federal and state level. It provides critical information to legislators, regulators, and scholars interested in understanding environmental policymaking.