EPA Head: Environmental Protection is Good for Economic Growth

“The question we face now is, what can we at EPA do to protect our environment, strengthen our communities and foster prosperity?" Lisa Jackson asked in Monday's speech. "One of the clear answers is abandoning the old disputes and working in partnership on new innovations." Photo: U.S. EPA

In Monday’s speech to the National Press Club, U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson underscored a consistent message: Environmental protection helps to improve economic growth, not impedes it.

Jackson went on to say environmental spending is an investment, as it improves the health conditions of communities, making them more attractive for jobs.

One example she cited was the $17 billion annual savings in health care costs from a 92 percent reduction in lead pollution, the equivalent of a 10-13 times the return on the original investment.

She pointed out that in the last 30 years, emissions of six air pollutants have dropped 54 percent while the country’s gross domestic product rose 126 percent, and the decrease happened with more cars, power plants and building construction.

While much of Jackson’s speech highlighted environmental rules that have been in place for years, such as the Clean Air Act and the phasing out of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to protect the ozone layer, she also touched on some more recent topics, including the impact of last year’s Cash for Clunkers program and the increase in renewable energy production.

An area that Jackson did not address is that many environmental initiatives offer long-term savings but could require higher upfront investments. For example, last year the city of Los Angeles agreed to switch its street lights from incandescent bulbs to light emitting diodes (LEDs). The project is expected to save $10 million annually, but the initial cost of subbing out the bulbs was $57 million.

Also, Jackson did not address who will bear the costs of new environmental programs – will they be funded by taxes or businesses?

Jackson did, however, mention the successful campaigns of manufacturers and retailers to address the environmental impact of their supply chains and respond to consumer demand. Among those touted in the speech were Best Buy, The Gap, General Mills, Nike, Procter and Gamble, Starbucks, Timberland and Walmart.

In response to the argument that environmental spending should be curbed until the economy is improved, Jackson responded, “Without clean energy, the global economy will be running on empty within our lifetimes,” she said. “It’s time to stop denying that obvious truth, stop playing on the politics of delay and denial, and start thinking more broadly about what is going to help us all move forward together.”

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