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DOCUMENT RESUME
07383 - [C28679921
An Ex, cutive Summary: 16 Air and Water Pollution Issues Facing
the Nation. CED-78-148A; B-166506. October 11, 1978. 13 pp.
Report to the Congress: by Elmer B. Staats, Comptroller General.
Issue Area: Environmental Protection Programs: Environmental
Protec-tion Standards (2201).
Contact: Community and Economic Development Div.
Budget Function: Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy:
Pollution Contvol and Abatement (304).
Organization Concerned: Environmental Protection Agency.
Congressional Relevance: House Committee on Public Works and
Transportation; Senate Committee on Environment and Public
Works; Congress.
Authorityz Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of
1956 (P.L. 84-,)60). Federal Water Pollution Control Act
Amendments of 1972 (P.L. 92-500). Clean Air Act Clean Air
Act Amendments of 1970. Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977.
Federal Water Poll.dtion Control Act, as amended. Federal
Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1977.
The following legislation was enacted in order to deal
with air and water pollution nationwide: the Clean Air Act
Amendments of 1970 and 1977 and the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act Amendments of 1972 and 1977. Air quality legislation
is intended to protect the public health and welfare from air
pollution, and water quality legislation is meant to eliminate
the discharge of pollutants and to have swimmable and fishable
waters. Programs for achieving these goals have resulted in a
cleaner environment, but billions have heen spent to date on
pollution contro.s; during the neriod from 1975 to 1984, about
$423 billion may be spent by goiernment and industry.
Findings/Conclusions: In order to set priorities in achieving
er' -onmental goals, some basic questions must be answered,
inciuding: How muzh envir3nmental protection is needed? When is
it needed? What is the best way of obtaining it? What price is
the Nation willing to pay? The goals of pollution control
legislation are basically sound except for the goal to eliminate
the discharge of po]lutants into waterways. However, regulatory
adjustments are needed to resolve cercain major issues.
Amendments to the leqislation have addressed many of the issues.
Among ;.ijor issues tc be considerel are: energy development,
conservation, and independence; environmental protection and
improvement; economic growth and stabilitv; economic efficiency
and equity; puolic health and welfare; and inflation. Policies
should be coordinated and issues should be considered as a whole
rather than separately. Solutions should be sought for the total
pollution problem rather than for some parts at the expense of
others, but present pollution laws and programs do not usually
allow for such tradeoffs. Sixteen major pc3 lution coi.trol issues
identified by GAO dealt with goals, standards, implementation,](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobaaycn0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)