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Environmental Legislation Laws

Environmental Legislation Laws. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Founded by U.S. government (under Richard Nixon) in 1970 William Ruckleshaus was first EPA administrator  a rational, organized approach to environmental legislation that would avoid “pendulum” effect.

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Environmental Legislation Laws

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  1. Environmental Legislation Laws

  2. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) • Founded by U.S. government (under Richard Nixon) in 1970 • William Ruckleshaus was first EPA administrator a rational, organized approach to environmental legislation that would avoid “pendulum” effect

  3. Mission: to protect Americans from environmental risks/substances that could harm their health ex: lead, pesticides • How:regulates environmental laws passed by Congress

  4. Environmental Impact Statement(EIS) • Document that summarizes potential environment impacts on the environment for any proposed project • Offers alternatives to the project • Mandated by law for public/private projects

  5. National Environmental Policy Act (1969) • Requires an EIS before any project affecting federal lands can be started • Ex: dam construction or financing a highway

  6. Oversees nearly 1/3 of land in the US • Oversees federal highway construction, flood/erosion control, and military projects

  7. Clean Air Act (1970) • Authorizes EPA to set limits on air pollutants • Focus on 6 pollutants:(lead, particulate matter, SO2, CO, O3, N) • Most dramatic change since CAA of 1970 is reduction of lead  unleaded gas

  8. National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) set for 6 principal pollutants • “Nonattainment” is when pollutants don’t meet standards

  9. Clean Air Act Amendment (1990) • Required nation’s 111 dirtiest coal-burning power plants to cut SO2 emissions • Offered incentives to convert to cleaner technologies, • Result: reduction of approx. 25% of total amount of SO2 in the United States

  10. Clean Water Act (1972) • Eliminates the release of high amounts of toxic substances into water stream • Later, clause added to ensure water meets standard necessary for human reaction

  11. Quite an impact on providing clean water for all types of species

  12. Safe Drinking Water Act (1974) • Set maximum contaminant levels for pollutants in drinking water • Standards apply for both above ground and underground

  13. Today, almost 90% of Americans get water from community systems that don’t violate standards

  14. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (1977) • Requires coal companies to restore areas that have been surfaced mine since 1977 • Surface mined land prior to 1977 needs to be cleaned up gradually

  15. Coal mining prohibited in sensitive areas like national parks

  16. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (1976) • Deals with the storage and disposal of hazardous waste • About 45% of solid waste was combusted for energy or recycling

  17. Superfund Act (1980) • Cleans up abandoned and illegal hazardous waste sites • More than 400,000 waste sites in US are considered hazardous

  18. Superfund National Priorities list = federal govt. will assist in cleanup • 1/3 of Americans live within 3 miles of a Superfund site

  19. Pollution Prevention Act (1990) • Reduces generation of pollutants at point of origin • Reduce, reuse, recycle

  20. Requires manufactures to report their annual source reduction and recycling methods to EPA

  21. Endangered Species Act (1973) • Protects critically endangered species from extinction

  22. Many species have recovered and have been removed off endangered species list

  23. Marine Mammal Protection Act (1972) • Prohibits the “take” of certain marine mammals in US waters

  24. CAFÉ Standards • Corporate Average Fuel Economy • To improve average fuel economy of automobiles

  25. 1978: 18 mpg • 2011: 30.2 mpg • 2025 goal: 54.5 mpg

  26. National Environmental Policy Act • Clean Air Act • Clean Water Act • Safe Drinking Water Act • Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act • Resource Conversation and Recovery Act • Superfund Act • Pollution Prevention Act • Endangered Species Act • Marine Mammal Protection Act • CAFÉ Standards • Coal companies to restore surface mined areas • Reduces pollution at point of origin • Allows EPA to set limits on air pollutants • Protects endangered species from extinction • Storage and disposal of hazardous waste • Requires an EIS for federal construction projects • Sets contaminant levels for pollutants in drinking water • Prohibits the take of certain marine animals from US waters • Calls for cleanup of hazardous waste sites • Eliminates release of toxic substances into water stream • Improves average fuel economy of vehicles

  27. Answer Key: • F • C • J • G • A • E • I • B • D • H • K

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