The Pain and Difficulty of Updating the Clean Air Act

The main reason why I think we don’t want to get involved with updating the Clean Air Act is that it will be difficult and painful. We want happiness and peace—not pain and difficulty.

Fascinating thing though. Can’t find happiness and peace by trying to avoid pain and difficulty. I’ve tried it. Doesn’t work. Pain and difficulty are inevitable in this life. In fact, they seem to be the rule rather than the exception. Three options. One is to let the storms of life blow us where they will. Another is to try to avoid them—which we can’t. The third is to say “so that’s the way it’s gonna be”, put the bow into the waves, and start paddling even though effort appears futile.

Anyone see someone put their bow into a storm and eventually start smiling, laughing, and giving thanks for it? As much as you can find happiness and peace in this life—I think that person found it. And I bet they would tell you they would never have found this level of happiness and peace if it were not for the storm.

“I asked God for strength, that I might achieve, I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked God for health, that I might do greater things, I was given infirmity, that I might do better things. I asked for riches, that I might be happy, I was given poverty, that I might be wise. I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men, I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God. I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life, I was given life, that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I asked for- but everything I had hoped for. Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered. I am among men, most richly blessed.” ― Found on the body of a dead Confederate soldier 1861-1865

Amazing the level of peace and joy that can be found only in the storm.

The world is changing. We must change with it. Time to transform the SIP process. We can make it happen.

@misc{anderson_2026_the_pain_and_difficulty_of_updating_the_clean_air_act,
  author = {Jed Anderson},
  title  = {The Pain and Difficulty of Updating the Clean Air Act},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://jedanderson.org/posts/the-pain-and-difficulty-of-updating-the-clean-air-act},
  note   = {Accessed: 2026-05-13}
}

Anderson, J. (2026). The Pain and Difficulty of Updating the Clean Air Act. Retrieved from https://jedanderson.org/posts/the-pain-and-difficulty-of-updating-the-clean-air-act

Anderson, Jed. "The Pain and Difficulty of Updating the Clean Air Act." Jed Anderson, May 12, 2026, https://jedanderson.org/posts/the-pain-and-difficulty-of-updating-the-clean-air-act.