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<br /> <br />~ <br />~1Z2 <br /> <br />toward a new <br />environmental ethic <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />H i~II'r}' 01;1)' Wl'll record thai the bcginnin~ <br />of the t!c\:adc of the sen'nlil's marked the <br />turning roint ill man's 11"(, ami "huse of the <br />prccioU'. planet of which he is hoth ward and gtlar. <br />dian. Go....ernments al all ten-!-. ~",'an.'J up for an 011- <br />t;ll.:k 1m environmental pr"hll'm.... (,iii/ens fwm <br />every walk Ilf Ilk nluhilill'd th...'llI...dn's 111 ddr:nd <br />the environment fllr Ihcnl'l'Ivcs and till'iT childn.'n. <br />Imluslril.'s, grc;H ;ulll small. hq~all 10 l'll1hracc ;1 <br />new view of cmpllratc respl1IISibility for protect- <br />ing the environmenl. Inlernational hodies heg;m <br />plannin~ in earn...'s! flIT glllhal conlrol of glnhal <br />pollution. <br /> <br />In oUT own country. the Nalillnal Environmen- <br />tal Poli..:)' Al't, signed into 1:1\'<' on January I, <br />IlJ70. estahlished a n;llional policy to "maintain <br />condiliom ulllkr which man anll nature can <br />cxi...l in pruduclive h,lrJl10ny. anll fulfill the weial, <br />economic, ami other relluiremcnls of prl....ent and <br />future gener;lIillllS of AI11l'ricans." <br /> <br />Unda the new law, the i)resiJC'1l! appoinl~'d <br />a Council on Environnwtal Quality 10 coordinate <br />envimnrnental m;lllcr, at the felleral kvd and <br />saw as his princip:II advisors in 'u(h matters. <br /> <br />All federal actions ,wd propl.sals which could <br />h,lve signifi~-anl impact un the cnvifllnrnent wae <br />mmk sunjcct to review 11)' kdcr:d, "late, and local <br />environm~'nlal authorities. <br /> <br />In 1970, by order of the President with the <br />cons~.nt of the Congress, kderat programs dcaling <br /> <br />with lhe envirunrm:nl werc rcorganiled ;ll1U <br />...trl'nglhened. <br /> <br />'I he National Oceanic and Alrnmphl'ric All- <br />minl\lratioll wa, c,(;Jhli,tll'd in Ihc Ikpartmcnt ..f <br />(\lIllrlll'rce and m:tdc resplll\sihk for rC"'l'arch <br />un 111ng.-rangl' dkcl... uf pollution on ttK' physical <br />CI1\'lrunllll'nt. c...p..'cially glohal Ifl.'lll!... alkcting <br />till' (lCCan, :Ind llll' :itmmpherc. <br /> <br />Thl' llnil(.J Slall's rnvirunnwnt:ll Pmll'ctioll <br />Agl'IH:Y. rqll'rllng dln'Clly 10 IIIl' I'r.:,idl'lll. wa' <br />charged wilh moullting an integrall'd. cllordinah:d <br />:iliad, Oil pollulion, lilling till' nn'd. in lhl' I'r('si- <br />lknt'... word". fur ";1 slrung imkpelldcnl agt:ney" <br />III "erv... a" an ohjl'clivt:. impanbl ,:nhit('j" of <br />l'llvirl1OllH'nl:l1 11l:l1h:r,. panicul:trly in l....Llhli'hing <br />and l'nfofcing pollullon ct>lllrol '[:llIJard.... <br /> <br />l:cJ('ral :Jllli.pllllulil1n laws werl' sIH'lIglhl'l1l'd <br />and approprialion" increased ill 1970. Old pol. <br />IUlinn Ctllllltlll<l\~S .....(.rl. heing dl"'(:lIH'fl"1. and 11(..... <br />1,1\...... ....l.r(. und..'r JC\'l'Illprnelll. <br /> <br /> <br />Blll. llf ('llur~e. puhlic poliey lkcislnl1\ :.Ikcting <br />UK' cnvirlllllTlcnl :lre IWI all rlIaJl' ill Wa,hlngloll. <br />All nwr All1aiea I:h<ln!-,e i, l:!ling pLI<':l'-,ch:lI\gl' <br />thai ('halkngc, lhc p"'''''lmi"tk vicw lltal l1lall IS <br />hclpk'~ 10 l'ol1!rollhl' tl'l'hnologl(',,1 furc\'~ he ha" <br />....:1 in mol ion. changc gro.....ing out of a new <br />('cologieal pl:'rspl'l:tive, tran...lating a lll:'W l'nviron- <br />ml'ntal ethic into el1vironmenwl actinn. <br /> <br />Morc and more 1Iolall'S ;lIld rnuni('ipalllies ar(' <br />adopling environmental policies ami programs <br />