Environmental Environmental LawsLaws

Book Companion Site – Click US Legislation

EPAEPA==

EnvironmentalEnvironmentalProtectionProtection

AgencyAgency

1970

Forest Reserve ActForest Reserve Act 18911891 Protects public lands from resource Protects public lands from resource

exploitationexploitation

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Lacey ActLacey Act 19001900 Prohibits transporting live or dead Prohibits transporting live or dead

animals or their parts across state animals or their parts across state borders without a federal permitborders without a federal permit

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Antiquities ActAntiquities Act 19061906 Allows the president to protect areas of Allows the president to protect areas of

scientific or historical interest on federal scientific or historical interest on federal lands as national monumentslands as national monuments

President Clinton used the Antiquities Act to declare the Grand Stair Case-Escalante a national monument in 1996.

http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/1999/06/062299/escalante.jpg

Migratory Bird ActMigratory Bird Act 19341934 Requires waterfowl hunters to buy a duck Requires waterfowl hunters to buy a duck

stamp each season they hunt. Revenue goes stamp each season they hunt. Revenue goes into a fund to buy land and easements for the into a fund to buy land and easements for the benefit of waterfowlbenefit of waterfowl

http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/Wetlands/TrumpeterSwan/SwansPicts/Swans7.gif

Taylor Grazing ActTaylor Grazing Act 19341934 First federal effort to regulate grazing on First federal effort to regulate grazing on

federal public lands. Established grazing federal public lands. Established grazing districts and uses a permit system to manage districts and uses a permit system to manage livestock grazing in the districtslivestock grazing in the districts

http://www.wy.blm.gov/cfo/pics/cows-600.jpg

Federal Food, Drug, and Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic ActCosmetic Act

19381938 The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) authorizes the The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) authorizes the

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate foods, cosmetics, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate foods, cosmetics, drugs and medical devices. The law is intended to assure the drugs and medical devices. The law is intended to assure the consumer that foods are pure and wholesome, safe to eat, and consumer that foods are pure and wholesome, safe to eat, and produced under sanitary conditions; that cosmetics are safe and produced under sanitary conditions; that cosmetics are safe and made from appropriate ingredients; that drugs and devices are made from appropriate ingredients; that drugs and devices are safe and effective for their intended uses; and, that all labeling and safe and effective for their intended uses; and, that all labeling and packaging is truthful, informative, and not deceptive.packaging is truthful, informative, and not deceptive.

http://www-pps.aas.duke.edu/courses/ps145.02/project/group05/history-fda1.gif

Soil Conservation ActSoil Conservation Act 19351935 Established the Soil Erosion Service as part of Established the Soil Erosion Service as part of

the Dept. of Agriculture to correct the erosion the Dept. of Agriculture to correct the erosion problems that ruined farms in the Great Plains problems that ruined farms in the Great Plains StatesStates

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Federal Insecticide, Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Fungicide, and

Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) 19471947 Requires that all commercial pesticides be Requires that all commercial pesticides be

approved by the EPA for general or restricted approved by the EPA for general or restricted useuse

http://www.iucn.org/bil/photos/optimized/pesticide.jpg

Water Quality ActWater Quality Act 19871987 Along with the Clean Water Act, forms the basis Along with the Clean Water Act, forms the basis

of U.S. efforts to control pollution of the of U.S. efforts to control pollution of the countrycountry’’s surface waterss surface waters

http://www.howproductsimpact.net/emissions/emissontoriver.gif http://home.wangjianshuo.com/archives/2003/05/13/tahiti-clean.water.jpg

Clean Air ActClean Air Act 19631963 Empowered the federal government to set air Empowered the federal government to set air

pollution emission standards for automobiles pollution emission standards for automobiles and industries that each state required to and industries that each state required to enforceenforce

http://www.cnn.com/US/9911/09/ny.auto.emissions/exhaust.autos.jpg http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/images/factory.jpg

Wilderness ActWilderness Act 19641964 Authorized the government to protect Authorized the government to protect

undeveloped tracts of public land as part of the undeveloped tracts of public land as part of the National Wilderness System unless Congress National Wilderness System unless Congress later decides they are needed for the national later decides they are needed for the national goodgood

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Safe Drinking Water ActSafe Drinking Water Act 19741974 Requires EPA to establish national drinking Requires EPA to establish national drinking

water standards, including maximum water standards, including maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for any pollutants contaminant levels (MCLs) for any pollutants that may have adverse effects on human healththat may have adverse effects on human health

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Endangered Species ActEndangered Species Act 19731973 Illegal for Americans to import or trade in any Illegal for Americans to import or trade in any

product made from an endangered or product made from an endangered or threatened species unless used for an approved threatened species unless used for an approved scientific purpose/to enhance species survivalscientific purpose/to enhance species survival

Clean Water ActClean Water Act 19721972 Guidelines to protect surface waters for Guidelines to protect surface waters for

recreational purposes including swimming, recreational purposes including swimming, fishing, boatingfishing, boating

% of U.S. rivers and lakes fishable and % of U.S. rivers and lakes fishable and swimmable: from 36% to 62%swimmable: from 36% to 62%

Sewage treatment plants increased from 32%-Sewage treatment plants increased from 32%-74%74%

Toxic Substances Control Toxic Substances Control ActAct

Screens new substances for safety before they Screens new substances for safety before they are widely usedare widely used

19761976

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Resource Conservation Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)and Recovery Act (RCRA)

19761976 EPA identifies hazardous waste and sets standards for EPA identifies hazardous waste and sets standards for

management by statesmanagement by states Firms that store, treat or dispose of greater than 100 kg Firms that store, treat or dispose of greater than 100 kg

of hazardous waste per month are required to have a of hazardous waste per month are required to have a permitpermit

Permit holders required to keep track of waste from Permit holders required to keep track of waste from origin to disposalorigin to disposal

http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/geotech/mission/geoenv/rcra/garage193K.GIF

Comprehensive Environmental Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Response, Compensation and Liability

Act (CERCA-Superfund)Act (CERCA-Superfund) 19801980 Through taxes on chemical materials, this law provides Through taxes on chemical materials, this law provides

a fund for identifying abandoned hazardous waste a fund for identifying abandoned hazardous waste dump sites, protecting and cleaning up groundwater, dump sites, protecting and cleaning up groundwater, cleaning the site, and requiring responsible parties (if cleaning the site, and requiring responsible parties (if found) to clean up the sitefound) to clean up the site

http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/cpr/phototours/strandley/images/1.jpg http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/nc.gif

Montreal ProtocolMontreal Protocol 19871987 Treaty to cut CFC emissions by 35% Treaty to cut CFC emissions by 35%

between 1989 and 2000between 1989 and 2000 Required developing countries to freeze Required developing countries to freeze

out CFC consumption by mid-1999 and out CFC consumption by mid-1999 and phase out by 2010phase out by 2010

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Kyoto ProtocolKyoto Protocol 19971997 Targeted industrialized Targeted industrialized

countries to reduce greenhouse countries to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissionsgas (GHG) emissions

192 Parties Ratified192 Parties Ratified US signed on but did NOT RATIFYUS signed on but did NOT RATIFY Undue hardship on economic Undue hardship on economic

structuresstructures

Reclamation ActReclamation Act 19771977 Establishes a program for the regulation of Establishes a program for the regulation of

surface mining activities and the surface mining activities and the reclamation of coal mined-landsreclamation of coal mined-lands

http://www.library.arizona.edu/branches/spc/udalljpgs/coalmine-small.jpg http://www.osmre.gov/aml/inven/zp_creek.gif

Land and Water Land and Water Conservation ActConservation Act

19631963 Congressional policy that Congressional policy that ““present and present and

future generations be assured adequate future generations be assured adequate outdoor recreation resourcesoutdoor recreation resources””

http://img.getactivehub.com/act2/custom_images/nrpa/recreactionglosswrap.gif www.kaee.org/

National Environmental National Environmental Policy ActPolicy Act

19691969 To declare a national policy which will To declare a national policy which will

encourage productive and enjoyable harmony encourage productive and enjoyable harmony between man and environment, promote efforts between man and environment, promote efforts which will prevent/eliminate damage to the which will prevent/eliminate damage to the biosphere, establish a Council on Environmental biosphere, establish a Council on Environmental QualityQuality

https://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/Public/Library/NEPA/Forum/forum2.html www.epa.gov/ region1/charles

Ocean Dumping ActOcean Dumping Act 19731973 Gives EPA the responsibility for regulating the Gives EPA the responsibility for regulating the

dumping of all materials except dredged dumping of all materials except dredged materials (Army Corps of Engineers does this)materials (Army Corps of Engineers does this)

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Energy Policy and Energy Policy and Conservation ActConservation Act

19921992 Strategic Petroleum Reserve established, Strategic Petroleum Reserve established,

energy conservation programs created, energy conservation programs created, improved energy efficient motor vehicles, improved energy efficient motor vehicles, appliances, and other productsappliances, and other products

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National Environmental National Environmental Education ActEducation Act

19901990 Requires EPA to provide national leadership to Requires EPA to provide national leadership to

increase environmental literacy -- Established increase environmental literacy -- Established Office of Environmental EducationOffice of Environmental Education

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Convention on Convention on International Trade in International Trade in Endangered Species Endangered Species

(CITES)(CITES) 19731973 Protects wildlife Protects wildlife

against over-against over-exploitation, and to exploitation, and to prevent international prevent international trade of threatening trade of threatening species species

Marine Mammal Marine Mammal Protection ActProtection Act 19721972

prohibits the "take" of marine mammals in prohibits the "take" of marine mammals in U.S. waters and by U.S. citizens on the high U.S. waters and by U.S. citizens on the high seas, and the importation of marine mammals seas, and the importation of marine mammals and marine mammal products into the U.S.and marine mammal products into the U.S.

National Invasive National Invasive Species ActSpecies Act

19961996 to prevent the introduction and spread to prevent the introduction and spread

of non-indigenous species into the of non-indigenous species into the waters of the United Stateswaters of the United States

Oil Pollution ActOil Pollution Act 19901990 Improved nation's ability to prevent and Improved nation's ability to prevent and

respond to oil spills.respond to oil spills.

Exxon ValdezBP Oil Spill