Do the Clean Air Act battles contain lessons for the fight over climate legislation?
The other day I recounted the fascinating story of how Rep. Henry Waxman and his allies in the House spent a decade working to defend and strengthen the Clean Air Act. Waxman has reportedly said that those curious about the current climate/energy struggle should study the CAA fight. So what lessons can be learned? And do they apply today? 1. Marathon, not a sprint One thing that’s clear from the CAA chapter and Waxman’s book as a whole is that legislative victories do not come quickly, or all at once. Behind every advance is years of painstaking, persistent, often frustrating labor. Waxman likely sees the climate fight the same way. (That is the theme of Charles Homans’ excellent profile of Waxman from this spring.) The appropriate comparison for ACES is not the Clean Air Act as it exists today but the Clean Air Act as passed in 1970, in all its weakness and insufficiency. ACES is the first battle in what promises to be a long war; the job of consolidating gains and seeking new opportu
Related Questions
- What is the relationship between the Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007 and other smoking-related legislation in other jurisdictions in Maryland?
- Where can I find a copy of the Clean Water Act/Clean Air Act/other major environmental legislation?
- Do the Clean Air Act battles contain lessons for the fight over climate legislation?
