Of course, no one would argue that the statute achieved all of its objectives; the deadlines were extended, and for the most part, the national standards were not attained. Yet I believe that history, on balance, should judge the amendments as a major and positive turning point in the national environmental protection effort. The Clean Air Act amendments confirm this judgment. For just as important as its deadlines and innovative nationwide standard-setting approach was the statute's underlying purpose: to raise the consciousness of the American public and American business regarding the importance of pollution control.
In enacting the statute, Congress knew that a central element in any successful approach to air pollution control and, indeed, environmental protection generally would have to be a change in attitude about the value of environmental protection. During the House floor debate on the amendments, one of my colleagues quoted a small town mayor, who in expressing the previous conventional wisdom that environmental protection and economic growth were not compatible is reported to have said: "If you want this town to grow, it has got to stink.
In the amendments, however, Congress signaled its firm belief that economic growth and a clean environment are not mutually exclusive goals. In order to change these previously entrenched attitudes, it was necessary to get the attention of industry and the American people. By taking the then-bold step of making air pollution control a national responsibility, with strict deadlines for compliance, Congress accomplished that purpose in the statute. Even though the deadlines originally imposed in the amendments ultimately were not met, the amendments unquestionably succeeded in fostering a profound attitude shift in this country.
A consensus has emerged from the experiences gleaned under the amendments that environmental protection and economic growth can, and must, be accomplished hand-in-hand.
Indeed, I suspect that if the mayor quoted by my colleague were to seek election today, he or she would be soundly rejected at the polls. This attitudinal change in American society is itself a significant achievement for which the Clean Air Act amendments deserve a share of the credit. But a positive change in attitude and assumptions about environmental protection does not in itself clean up dirty air.
Congress is still struggling with the difficult question of how to achieve that goal. Thus it is fair to ask what lessons the amendments might hold for Congress as it sets about revising the Clean Air Act once again.
I believe several lessons may be drawn. Strike while the iron is hot. While the amendments gradually evolved to correct previous statutory initiatives that had failed, their actual enactment by the full Congress was accomplished with unaccustomed speed. This was made possible because of the high priority assigned to environmental issues on the public agenda following Earth Day.
Today's political climate is similar. Rising public concerns over well-reported environmental problems such as acid rain, global warming, and fouled beaches, coupled with the high profile that environmental issues took in the presidential elections, provide this Congress with one of the most promising opportunities for legislative initiatives on clean air in recent years.
Since this positive combination of events is likely to have a somewhat limited life span, Congress should seize the opportunity - as it did in - and act now to revise the statute. Standard search will find words which occur next to each other as a phrase.
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