An Analysis Of The U.S.Air Pollution Policy(1960s-1970s)

The industrialization in the United States of America was accomplished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, it not only brought the wealth itself but also gave rise to a number of pollution problems. In all kinds of environmental pollutions, air was most seriously damaged, and this caused serious consequences. Since 1950s, there were many public hazard incidents happened in the U.S.. Under the great pressure from public opinion, Federal government established the first air pollution act in 1955. In the following years, by enacting and revising air acts, Federal government involved more and more in the air pollution policies. The federalization in air pollution field peaked in 1970.By introducing the times background and the contents of acts as well as their performance, this thesis will analyze the development process and reasons of federal air pollution policies as well as discussing the influence of the administration-legislation-judiciary and federal-state-local systems upon air pollution policies.The thesis is composed of four sections: the introduction, the main body, the conclusion and the references. There are three parts in the main body: the first part mainly introduces three federal air pollution acts in 1960s and concludes the policy characteristics in this period; the second part analyzes the features of air pollution policy by studying the amendments of clean air act in 1970 and 1977; the third part, by reviewing the development of air pollution acts during 1960s and 1970s, expounds the influence and importance of U.S. congress, administration and supreme court, as well as the federal government, state governments and local governments, at the same time, this part reveals the fundamental elements which decide the development of U.S. air pollution policies. The conclusion part generalizes the main viewpoints of this thesis and summarizes the process and fundamental reasons of federalization of air pollution policies.