While America has much to be proud of over the past 25 years, we are left with difficult problems - an unwieldy system of laws and regulations that often breeds conflict and gridlock, and an adversarial relationship between the concepts of a cleaner environment and a healthy economy. EPA operates under 16 major national environmental laws overseen by over 70 Congressional committees and subcommittees. EPA is subject to over 600 lawsuits at any given time. Such a process often diverts valuable resources from the real work of protecting the environment and public health to the work of litigation. These teams craft solutions to environmental problems that all can agree to, harnessing the expertise of those who have worked on these issues for years.
Former adversaries become partners in protecting the environment.
Time is spent up front in the development of solutions, rather than later on litigation. The first 25 years of environmental regulation in the U.S. addressed air, water and land separately, frequently shifting and shuffling pollution without preventing it. The result has been too little environmental protection at too high of cost. These solutions are often costly for industry and not necessarily the best for the environment. Solutions that work for the auto industry may not necessarily make sense for the computers and electronics industry.