Conservation

• In response to the Dustbowl catastrophe of the 1920s and 1930s, the U.S. government encouraged states to adopt soil conservation districts to regulate farm practices. The states enacted laws establishing soil loss limits and education programs to limit the harmful effects of soil erosion.
  
  

Legislation

• The 1970s saw another era of environmental regulations in the United States. The Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act created greater restrictions on the amount and types of pollutants that can be discharged.
  
  

Subsidies

• Recently environmental policy has focused on providing economic incentives to discourage environmental degradation. These incentives are commonly referred to as subsidies and include agricultural conservation programs as well as tax credits for conserving energy and producing renewable energy.