Deck 14: Public Policyresources

Question 1

Invasive species are a threat to native species,so Texas has firm laws that outlaw their sale and distribution within the state.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The technology of injecting water into the ground to maximize the recovery of oil from an old well is called "fracking."

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The NIMBY syndrome stands for "Nuclear Incidents Make a Bad Year."

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The greenhouse effect suggests that the photosynthesis process in plants has protected environmental quality in Texas.

Question 5

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality was founded to protect Texas's endangered species of animals.

Question 6

Often,support for environmental policies is tempered with the YBNIIMP principle.

Question 7

In Texas,the twentieth century was the century of "oil" beginning with the Spindletop strike of 1901

Question 8

In part because whooping cranes are one of a few "charismatic species," the protection of their estuary,near Aransas Pass,is a public policy issue.

Question 9

The two nuclear power plants in Texas,Comanche Peak and the South Texas Nuclear Project,produce about 10 percent of the state's electricity.

Question 10

Estimates are that the least expensive energy resource in Texas in 2016 will be solar power.

Question 11

The most viable alternative energy source in Texas early in the twenty-first century is wind power.

Question 12

The rule of capture states that the government has the final authority to say where water resources are distributed in Texas.

Question 13

The Submerged Lands Act gave Texas,and other Gulf states,the rights to oil in the entirety of the Gulf of Mexico.

Question 14

The most serious nuclear accident in American history happened at Chernobyl,in Pennsylvania.

Question 15

One way that private interests routinely influence public policy is through the principle of the "revolving door."

Question 16

The new era of natural gas as the fossil fuel energy of the future discovered around Ft.Worth,Texas is known as "Spindletop II."

Question 17

By 2040,urbanites in Texas will use more water than farmers.

Question 18

In the 1960s,a plan called the Texas Water Plan would have piped water from the Mississippi river to assure adequate water supplies for urban Texas.

Question 19

The sorts of taxes that discourage wasteful energy use are mostly progressive.

Question 20

Water resource issues are most profound west of a line extending south from the eastern boundary of the Panhandle,along the hundredth meridian.

Question 21

Most of the coal mined in Texas is of what variety?

A) Lignite
B) Anthracite
C) Stalagmite
D) Bituminous
E) Graphite

Question 22

The Texas Water Plan of the 1960s would have

A) made the Trinity River running from Dallas to Houston into a ship canal.
B) used the water of the Edwards Aquifer to build a massive lake near Odessa.
C) created a "cloud seeding" agency to increase annual rain in Texas.
D) taken water from the Mississippi River to provide resources in Texas.
E) doubled the number of water reservoirs in Texas.

Question 23

The notion of a Faustian bargain is that

A) compromise is necessary in order to engage in successful politics.
B) energy pollution is necessary for a growing economy.
C) water resources must be shared by farmers and urban dwellers.
D) people can achieve desirable things but only if they pay a terrible cost.
E) endangered species must be protected even at the cost of some scarce water resources.

Question 24

Texas has been at the forefront of making cars cleaner and more energy efficient.

Question 25

The peak of Texas oil production

A) came just at the end of World War I.
B) came in the decade of the 1950s.
C) came in the decade of the 1970s.
D) came just at the turn of the twenty-first century.
E) will come around 2025.

Question 26

The greenhouse effect occurs when

A) the burning of fossil fuels releases too much carbon dioxide into the air, causing the earth's climate to warm.
B) the overuse of water from the Edwards and Ogallala aquifers threatens access to water in the future.
C) photosynthesis in plants causes the growth of dangerous algae, threatening the life of fish and other water animals.
D) overreliance on wind energy causes the average temperature to rise downwind of the wind farms.
E) coal burning plants in Mexico cause air pollution to drift into Texas.

Question 27

The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)began operating the first light rail system in the Southwestern United States in 1996.

Question 28

An "acre foot" is

A) the depth of irrigation necessary to grow crops in West Texas.
B) the amount of property an owner must gain rights to before he can drill an oil or natural gas well.
C) the amount of electricity necessary to light an acre of property.
D) the amount of water necessary to cover an acre of land a foot deep.
E) a term for "getting one's foot in the door" before a person can occupy unclaimed farm land.

Question 29

Which of the following are major problems associated with nuclear power?

A) It is a very dirty energy, throwing hydrocarbons into the air, and there is a potential that a "meltdown" would release radioactivity into the air.
B) There is a potential that a "meltdown" would release radioactivity into the air, and sources of nuclear fuel are, for the most part, only available in other nations.
C) Sources of nuclear fuel are, for the most part, only available in other nations, and disposing of the radioactive waste byproducts is difficult politically.
D) It is a very dirty energy, throwing hydrocarbons into the air, and sources of nuclear fuel are, for the most part, only available in other nations.
E) There is a potential that a "meltdown" would release radioactivity into the air, and disposing of the radioactive waste byproducts is difficult politically.

Question 30

The estuary formed by the entrance of the Guadalupe River into San Antonio Bay near Aransas Pass is the home of

A) feral pigs.
B) whooping cranes.
C) bluegill fish.
D) delicate orchids.
E) Texas bluebonnets.

Question 31

The line,extending roughly between the eastern edge of the Panhandle down to the Rio Grande northwest of Laredo and marking the area where agriculture is not possible without irrigation,is the

A) 80th meridian.
B) 90th meridian.
C) 100th meridian.
D) 110th meridian.
E) 120th meridian.

Question 32

The Natural Resources Defense Council calculated that perhaps more than 1000 Texans succumb each year of cardiopulmonary deaths attributable to air pollution.

Question 33

Which of the following statements is true about the amount of water used by agriculture for irrigating crops in the Western States?

A) About 10 percent of all water is used for irrigation.
B) About 25 percent of all water is used for irrigation.
C) About 40 percent of all water is used for irrigation.
D) About 55 percent of all water is used for irrigation.
E) About 70 percent of all water is used for irrigation.

Question 34

Pumping water,sand and chemicals into the ground to recover more oil or natural gas from the ground is a technology called

A) pump-priming.
B) fracking.
C) wildcat drilling.
D) Enhanced Recovery Technology (ERT).
E) flaring.

Question 35

Most of the urban areas in Texas are classified as "nonattainment" or "near nonattainment areas" in terms of their air quality as assessed by the Environmental Protect Agency.

Question 36

Which energy resource is predicted to be the least costly per kilowatt hour in 2016?

A) Coal
B) Wind
C) Solar
D) Nuclear
E) Natural gas

Question 37

The organization with the mission to "protect our state's human and natural resources" consistent with sustainable economic development is called

A) the Texas Sustainability Commission (TSC).
B) the Economic Development and Tourism agency in the governor's office.
C) the Texas Game and Wildlife Agency.
D) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
E) Ducks Unlimited.

Question 38

The Trans-Texas Corridor Program proposed by Governor Rick Perry will connect major Texas cities with publicly financed railways.

Question 39

The concept that groundwater is more or less completely controlled by the person who owns the land above the water is called

A) the rule of capture.
B) the principle of private authority.
C) the right of eminent domain.
D) the Ogallala Aquifer rule.
E) the right of habeas corpus.

Question 40

The two nuclear energy plants in Texas,Comanche Peak and South Texas Nuclear Project,produce what percentage of Texas electricity?

A) 10%
B) 25%
C) 48%
D) 70%
E) 90%

Question 41

The Trans Texas Corridor was Governor Rick Perry's proposal to

A) invest in railway transportation among the large cities in Texas.
B) improve the relationship between Texas and Mexico to enhance economic growth under NAFTA.
C) build 4000 miles of multiuse highways across Texas.
D) use eminent domain to build airports in more convenient places to modernize and improve air travel.
E) set high standards for average fuel economy for Texas state vehicles to save money and improve the environment.

Question 42

Discuss the three basic strategies for addressing the transportation problems of Texas,building more roads,forcing cars to become cleaner and safer,or available alternative forms of transportation.Evaluate the pros and cons of each proposal and take a position as to which one is best for Texas.Offer evidence to bolster your position.

Question 43

Define "Faustian bargain." Explain how it applies to energy politics in Texas.

Question 44

Discuss the history of Texas's reliance on fossil fuels and prospects for shifting to renewable energy.Explain how the use of fossil fuels developed over time in Texas and the environmental consequences of the various fossil resources.Explain the possibilities afforded by renewable resources for the future in Texas.

Question 45

Which city in Texas began operating a light rail system in 1996,becoming the first city in the American Southwest to do so?

A) Houston
B) Austin
C) San Antonio
D) El Paso
E) Dallas

Question 46

Discuss how air quality in Texas is a struggle in Texas cities.Explain why the consequences of nonattainment and near nonattainment may be a boon for businesses but pose a problem for citizens.Discuss how the concept of pseudo-laissez faire dominates policymaking regarding the environment.

Question 47

The practice of wealthy interests,such as the Texas energy industry,hiring government regulators as executives or lobbyists once they leave their government job is known as

A) elitism.
B) pluralism.
C) the revolving door.
D) the free rider principle.
E) capture theory.

Question 48

Explain the NIMBY and YBNIIMP principles.Discuss how they make policymaking difficult in many areas of natural resource policy.Discuss specifically how the principles apply to the arena of nuclear energy

Question 49

Of renewable energy sources,which is the most realistic short-term alternative to nonrenewables?

A) Wind
B) Solar
C) Geothermal
D) Natural gas
E) Ocean tidal

Question 50

The Texas traditionalist-individualist culture places an emphasis on

A) preserving the Texas environment for future generations.
B) renewable sources of energy.
C) conserving water resources by deemphasizing economic development.
D) private, short-run exploitation of nature.
E) investing heavily in mass public transportation.