32.4 Environmental Activism How did the United States balance preserving the environment and continued industrial growth? What are the some of the current Environmental issues facing the country today?

Key Terms Rachel Carson Earth Day Environmentalist Environmental Protection Agency Three Mile Island Fracking Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Deep Water Horizons Oil Spill

Key Dates April 22, 1970-First Earth Day December 2, Nixon creates EPA March 28, Three Mile Island March Exxon Valdez Oil Spill April BP Oil Spill

Beginning of the Environmental Movement Silent Spring- Rachel Carson – 1963 Attacked use of pesticides in farming – DDT especially – Traces would get into human food supply

Nixon and Environmentalism Began to focus more on environmental issues in created EPA that year Renewed Clean Air Act – Imposed stricter pollution regulations on industry – Especially which one? Other laws curbing pesticide use, strip-mining, protecting endangered species and setting aside land for preservation

Nuclear Power Nuclear power is seen as cheap, clean solution to energy crisis in the 1970s – Also creates toxic waste and there is possibility for a core Meltdown- would release lots of radiation into the environment

Three Mile Island March 28, Nuclear Power Plant near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Reactor over-heats and cooling system fails due to human error – Small amount of radiation begins to leak out of plant – 100,000 people evacuated – Clean up cost over 1 billion dollars Raises concerns over the use of Nuclear Power in the United States

Oil Spills and Modern Environmental Issues Exxon Valdez- March 24, 1989 – At least 11 Million gallons of oil spilled into the ocean off Alaska – Cost 3 Billion to clean up BP Oil Spill- April 20, 2010 – Underwater Oil well leaked for 87 days – Released 4.9 million barrels (210 Million Gallons) – Cost 40 Billion to clean up

Exxon Valdez

Current Issues Climate Change – Idea that human caused C0 2 emissions are causing the global climate to change – Debated among the scientific community and is a controversial political issue Less regulations for business (R) vs. more regulations for conservation (D) What are the different issues at hand? – Is the earth warming? – Is the warming caused by humans or other natural reasons? – What is the best actions to take to confront this problem?

Fracking Used to extract previously inaccessible oil and natural gas that is trapped in rock or shale formations underground High pressure water is shot into a well fracturing the rock and making it possible to access the oil and gas – Responsible for the U.S. resurgence in fossil fuel production U.S. is projected to be World’s #1 oil and natural gas producer by 2020 Faces heavy opposition from environmental groups – Possibility of introducing harmful chemicals into ground water supplies, destruction of farmland

“Fracking” has created an economic boom in states like Pennsylvania and North Dakota – North Dakota has lowest unemployment rate in the country – New York has banned fracking for 5 years What is more important economic progress or environmental protection?

The Fracking Song

Article Reflection Questions 1.What are the credentials of the men who have co-authored this article? 2.What is this article a response to? 3.What is the thesis? Summarize in 2-3 sentences? 4.Do you agree or disagree with argument being made?