El medio ambiente en la minería

u. S. Environmental control programs. Tbeir development and charaderization James D. Patton Los programas regulatorios del medio ambiente en el sector industrial de Estados Unidos han sufrido una evoluci6n a partir de mediados de los ochenta. En este Clltimo período, el foco de atenci6n se vuelca hacia nuevas preocupa– ciones Y. si bien se advierte un progreso, éste ha sido alcanzado a un costo muy alto. Comprehensive U. S. environmental regulatory programs were established in the early 1970's to respond to acute, local or at most regional, air and surface water pollution problems. During that period technologywas available wrueh could be readily applied, and it was relatively easy to measure the improve– menl In the mid 1980's the focus tumed to broad conceros about toxics in the environment and the desire to address subtle chronic effects of substances at concentrations so low as to be almost immeasurable. Other conceros emerged about impacts whieh are intemational, or even global. These newer conceros require responses witb different eharaeteristics from those of the 70's. Progress has been made, but a very higb cast, whicb is expected to inerease, and which is oCten not adequately considered in making regulatory decisions. This discussion describes characteristics of these regulatory programs, some of the driving forces bebind them and some of the reasons they have evolved as tbey have. Progress aehieved to date is reviewed.