Environmental Policy and Public Health: Connections and Consequences

Hear the words “environmental policy,” and many people think of protecting threatened species, like the spotted owl, the wolf, the whales. Or they think of trees and parks and wilderness areas and being able to spend time outdoors. In fact, the nation’s environmental laws—the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and others—are some of the most powerful tools we have to protect public health. This talk will explore the connection between the laws the US Environmental Protection implements and our health and examine the public health impacts of past and more recent policy decisions.