Discussion Question 1:

Variances under the Clean Water Act

The EPA may allow companies that comply with the Clean Water Act to mitigate the adverse economic effects of pollution-emission-tolerance levels by granting a variance permitting the companies to comply with a looser standard.

In Chemical Manufacturers Association v. Natural Resources Defense Council, 470 U.S. 116 (1985), the Supreme Court analyzed the practice of the EPA allowing fundamentally different factor variances and found that this practice would not interfere with the Clean Water Act.

The Court said the EPA should be allowed to do the fine-tuning on the Act. Some environmentalists opposed this decision, stating that it "deconstructed" the Clean Water Act.

Based on the above information, answer the following questions:

What do you understand by the term "deconstructed" in this context?

Analyze whether you agree with the Court on fine-tuning the Act.

Debate the issue, providing examples and rationales to support your opinion.

Discussion Question 2:

New Green Technologies

New technologies should make it possible for us to rely less on emission-producing fossil fuels, which would prevent global warming and the melting of polar ice caps and glacial ice.

The melting of glaciers and polar caps would raise the sea level and submerge most coastal areas for miles inland, resulting in a global catastrophe.

Based on the above information, answer the following questions:

What are the initiatives taken by the government currently to forestall and to develop newer technologies, such as electric and hybrid cars, which would use energy resources other than oil and natural gas?

Debate the practical difficulties and legal issues involved in such government initiatives.