GEORGE A. GONZALEZ - fieldi

CONCLUSIONPolitical Power andGlobal WarmingIn chapter 1, I outlined how U.S. clean air policies are market enhancing.Statistical studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between statelevelclean air policies and state-level economic activity. These policies aremarket enhancing precisely because they help protect local economies fromthe negative impact of air pollution. Such policies do so by providingcleaner air than otherwise, and thus help to attract investment and peopleto an area. Clean air policies play this market-enhancing role because policymakersrely on technology in formulating them. Pollution control technologieshelp to abate localized air pollution, but do not directly affect therates of local economic growth. In addition, such an approach to air pollutionabatement is acceptable for industry because it develops and deployspollution control technologies.The key question for political scientists is what factors have promptedthe reliance on technology to reduce air pollution, and what factors shapeclean air policies? In chapter 2, I put forward two competing policymakingmodels to analyze the political factors that have historically determined theresponse in the United States to localized air pollution. These models areentitled state autonomy/issue networks and economic elite theory. The firstemphasizes the ability of officials within the state to formulate and implementpublic policies independently of societal groups, including businessinterests. Additionally, these officials will often draw policy ideas from differentgroups, experts, and perspectives. In this way, environmental groups andtheir views are often incorporated into the policymaking process.In contrast to the state autonomy/issue networks model, the economicelite model stresses the role of economic elites in policy formulation. Theseelites exercise dominant influence over the state because they possess103