ABSTRACT
The federal government first got serious about cleaning up our air with the Clean Air Act of 1970. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets emission standards for major stationary sources of air pollution that specify the kinds of technologies they must install. These standards are usually implemented at the state level through state implementation plans (SIPs). This chapter considers two areas of environmental policy that try to protect the public from danger: controlling substances that cause cancer and birth defects, and regulating the disposal of hazardous wastes. The federal government, under a number of statutes such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Toxic Substances Control Act, has for many years attempted to determine for specific chemicals exposure levels that are dangerous to human health. The EPA then regulates release of those chemicals to protect the public. After many years, the EPA has set standards for only a few chemicals.
