First Along The RiverChapter 9

The Early 1900’s

Environmental Optimism Under Bill Clinton

• The environmental movement started in 1993. Bill Clinton was the first democrat to be elected as president in the white house.

• Bill Clinton strongly supported the environment and chose and environmentalist by the name of Al Gore to be senator to toughen the environmental laws. Thanks to Bill Clinton’s support and being president, these laws became federal.

A Growing Countermovement• In the early 1990’s, citizens started to become aware of personal

causes in their neighborhoods and problems in their local environment.

• They protested against landfills and wasteland to be dumped near their homes. Many of those people lived in poor neighborhoods and have been ignored. Those people have also suffered the worst pollution problems in the nation.

• Some organizations at the time fought to save many areas and wildlife except polluted cities. Around this time environmental racism occurred. A county in North Carolina was selected for a specific landfill for chemicals. That specific area was populated by African Americans and those who fought back were arrested and thrown in jail and the landfill was soon established after.

A Green Revival

• During 1993 a rebirth of green products and packaging started to be sold in stores and used in factories. This was known as the Green Market. Consumers bought these items specifically because they were marketed as having environmental benefits. This later improved the economy and cause other companies to try it out as well.

• Clinton created the national biological survey within the department of interior with and annual budget of $180 million. It would also draw 1600 employees from the department of interior with specific duties such as inventorying and monitoring biological resources providing the government with scientific advice on eco science.

A Green Revival (continued)

• NAFTA or North American Free Trade Agreement was used by corporations to avoid the environmental laws and regulations by using the right-to-sue- government provision. This caused NAFTA to become a harm to the environment and a major help for business.

A Conservative Resurgence

• During Clinton’s 2nd year of presidency everything went downhill and slowed down. Job creation and economic growth continued but in a much slower pace. Clinton’s efforts to form health care collapsed and congress rejected his $30 billion to “jump-start” the economy.

• Congress also rejected 9 major environmental bills. Those of which were related to clean water, safe drinking water, toxic waste, and mining.

A Conservative Resurgence (continued)

• Businesses and industries spent $150 billion a year just to meet the standards with federal antipollution laws. The National Association of counties estimated that local governments pay more $30 billion over the next 4 years to come to comply with federal laws. According to EPA.

• “Private property rights” bill changed the 5th amendment saying, “ nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.” Compensation occurred only when the government physically occupied private land in the past.

The Conservative Resurgence (continued)

• On March 3, 1995, the White House passed a measure that allowed property owners to demand compensation for environmental regulations. It reduced the value of their land by 20%, but this bill didn’t pass the senate and had yet to become a law.

• Eventually, an act was passed called the Landowners Equal treatment act of 1999. the act increased the rights of private property owners.

• “…environmentalists were too eager to sacrifice human needs for those of the northern spotter owl and other nature issues”

Conclusion

• Human needs were taken for granted and treated as a lesser importance.

• Americans suffered complacency or uncritical satisfaction.

• Environmental protection made a higher priority.