歐巴馬政府斷然拒絕走布希政府所走的路，展現出保護環境的決心，保育人士對於新政府的作為與期望抱以審慎樂觀的態度。歐巴馬政府的新作為可分成兩部分：其一是關於在排水道附近噴灑農藥；另一則有關乾洗溶劑中致癌化學物質的使用。
美國第六巡迴上訴法庭日前裁決布希政府所訂之環保署法規，鬆綁排水道周邊噴灑殺蟲劑，顯然有悖《淨水法》之規定。對此，司法部不顧農業部的意見，4月8日堅決地表示將不對法庭的裁示進行覆審。
2009年1月，法院駁回布希政府決定讓國內排水道內可噴灑農藥的行為不再受《淨水法》規範的行政命令。法院認為殺蟲劑殘留物與生物殺蟲劑在聯邦法下被列為汙染物質，因此有必要受到《淨水法》的管制，以減少對人體健康的影響與環境的破壞。
在常被作乾洗之用的四氯乙烯（俗稱PCE）方面，美國環保署4月3日在巡迴上訴法庭抵達華府時，要求重新審理布希政府對於PCE使用規定上的合法性以及政策上的立場。
這個由美國山巒協會（Sierra Club）所提出的案子，已訂定於5月14日由上訴法庭進行聽審。儘管是環保署自己的案子，該署的立場卻較傾向回到過去規制並重新評估該項命令，而非一昧為布希政府的種種作為做辯護。
特別代表山巒協會出庭的「地球正義」（Earthjustice）律師普優（Jim Pew）表示，「這是個大好消息，前政府的政策根本是非法且錯誤走向」。「我們由衷希望新政府可以給我們更清新的空氣，並且除去可能導致數百萬美國人罹癌的危險物質」。
由於美國各城鄉中存在著不少乾洗店，甚至在一棟設有住宅、學校和照顧中心的建築物內，多半也設有乾洗的服務，而當中仍繼續使用四氯乙稀作為溶劑的店家不在少數，使得數百萬美國人因此曝露在有毒的空氣中。
當人們吸到乾洗機運作所排放出的廢氣，或是當人們長期呼吸乾洗衣物散發出的氣體時，就可被定義為是曝露在PCE之下。
環保署已公認乾洗過程中所製造出的PCE對人體有極度的危害，並且將PCE列為潛在致癌化學物質，包括肝癌、腎癌與中樞神經受損都有可能因此發生。
然而，儘管部份洗衣店已採用較安全、潔淨的洗衣技術，當時布希政府依然無視此一風險，允許乾洗店繼續使用PCE。
美國加州超過125間洗衣店已開始使用專業水洗法，有10間則利用二氧化碳來清洗。不過，全國至少27,000間以上的乾洗店仍使用舊型機器，使用四氯乙稀來清洗衣物。
Conservationists are cautiously optimistic about two decisions by the Obama administration that decline to follow Bush-era actions undermining environmental protections. One decision concerns pesticide spraying around waterways and the other concerns a carcinogenic dry cleaning chemical.
Rebuffing a request by the Department of Agriculture, the Justice Department today announced that it will not seek rehearing of a ruling by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals that invalidated a Bush EPA rule exempting pesticide spraying around waterways from the Clean Water Act regulations.
In January, the court reversed a Bush EPA decision that the spraying of pesticides into the nation's waters should no longer be regulated by the Clean Water Act. The Court held that pesticide residuals and biological pesticides are pollutants under federal law and so must be regulated under the Clean Water Act in order to minimize impacts to human health and the environment.
On the issue of pollution from the dry cleaning chemical perchloroethylene, commonly called PCE or perc, the EPA on Friday asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to allow it to reconsider the Bush administration's legal and policy positions.
The case brought by the Sierra Club was scheduled to be heard by the appellate court on May 14. But rather than defend the Bush-era perc regulation, the EPA says it wants to go back and re-evaluate the rule.
"This is great news. The previous administration's approach was wrongheaded and illegal," said Earthjustice attorney Jim Pew, who is representing the Sierra Club in the case. "We hope the new administration moves to get this toxic chemical out of the air we breathe and eliminate the cancer risk it creates for millions of Americans."
Because dry cleaners that use perchloroethylene are located throughout neighborhoods in most U.S. cities and towns, millions of Americans are exposed to their toxic emissions. Dry cleaners may operate in the same buildings as apartments, schools, and daycare centers.
People are exposed to PCE when they breathe in the emissions from dry cleaning machines and when they breathe in emissions released over time from the clothes that are cleaned at dry cleaners.
The EPA has acknowledged that the health risks from PCE dry cleaners are extremely high, and has classified PCE as a probable cancer-causing chemical that has been linked to liver, kidney and central nervous system damage.
Yet, the Bush-era EPA adopted a rule that will allow dry cleaners to continue using PCE, even though some cleaners already have switched to safer, cleaner, viable technologies.
In California, more than 125 cleaners use professional wet cleaning and 10 cleaners use carbon dioxide. More than 27,000 dry cleaners across the country still use old machines that clean clothes with perchloroethylene.
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
