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Summary: A real inside story on environmental regulation
Review: "Clearing the Air" is a page-turner for readers who are at all sceptical of EPA's messianic zeal. It gives a thorough, broad overview over the great breadth and variety of environmental regulatory responsibilities which face state regulators and EPA. Its inside revelations of aggressive environmental politics are shocking and sobering. Ms. Dunlop also makes a persuasive case for EPA and the Justice Department to look to the states as laboratories for innovative regulatory and enforcement approaches. In addition, Ms. Dunlop shows the importance of innovative thinking to EPA regulation, given that Congress not infrequently provides EPA very broad authority but inadequate guidance on environmental regulation and enforcement. For example, the book records that while she was chief environmental regulator in Virginia, Ms. Dunlop proposed innovative, environmentally-protective alternatives to the Washington-mandated centralized emissions testing and against a requirement to require the Northeast to implement a limited part of a program tailor-made for California (the zero-emission-vehicle mandate). Finally, the book recognizes the importance of science that is transparent and open to the public in environmental rulemaking. "Clearing the Air" will be provocative to readers who believe that environmental regulatory challenges can be addressed only by federal regulators and are distrustful of state regulators and citizens, but even such readers will find that the book identifies some serious problems in the way federal environmental regulation proceeded in the 1990's and identifies thoughtful alternate approaches.
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Summary: The truth about environmental regulation
Review: For anyone wanting to understand environmental politics, this is a must read!
I have worked for over 25 years as one of the "regulated". This is the most enlightening book I have seen yet that deals with the the reality of environmental regulation and the EPA. Environmentalism started out 30 years ago as movement to help our environment. But since then, those seeking political control have perverted it into a power trip. The general public does not understand what is really going on regarding government regulation, particularly the federal government (though she does not discuss other agencies in detail, I assure you that the Fish & Wildlife Service and Army Corps of Engineers have similar MO's). Ms. Dunlop reveals this more convincingly and compellingly than anyone so far. It is also heartening that she has taken the high ground, genuinely espousing real environmental protection. When I started my environmental career, that is what I hoped we as a society would be about. Whenever I am tempted to become cynical, I plan to go back and read about her victories and regain my hope that real environmental protection is still possible -- not just politcal tyranny hiding under an environmental halo.
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