The Pentagon spends about $5 billion a year on its “environmental security program,” trying to reduce the environmental impact of the armed services. But many greenies think that’s not enough, and up until the terrorist attacks, the military was facing growing pressure to take the environment more seriously. A proposal in Congress would require the military to comply with the same environmental regulations as other federal agencies, private landowners, and businesses. Currently, military units are sometimes exempted from laws like the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. Native Americans and minorities, who are more likely to live near military facilities, frame the issue as one of environmental justice.
