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Laws and protocols
Question | Answer |
---|---|
First major environmental legislation. Must evaluate impacts of project prior to undertaking | NEPA. National Environmental Policy Act 1970 |
Protects wildlife and plants in danger of becoming extinct and their habitat. • Once a species is listed: Illegal to kill or destroy the habitat of a listed species; If species recovers, de-list species (bald eagle no longer endangered) | National Endangered Species Act, 1973 (ESA) |
Purpose is to restore and maintain physical, chemical, and biological integrity of nation’s waters. Industries discharging wastes must have permit and meet federal standards | Clean Water Act, 1972 |
Designed to protect quality of drinking water (surface and groundwater sources) from public water systems | Safe Drinking Water Act 1974 |
Initiatives research and development program for air pollution control | Clean Air Act 1990 |
• Fund to clean up abandoned hazardous waste sites • EPA tries to find responsible parties than sues to recover money | Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund) |
Identifies hazardous waste and tracks it throughout its life (generation, transport, disposal - cradle to grave approach) | Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) |
• Develop data regarding effects of chemicals on human health/environment • Know risks of chemical prior to it sale | Toxic Substances Control Act (ToSCA) |
To minimize effects of surface mining upon landscape. Overseen by states, decide if land can be mined. Lands must support pre-mining or better use, Prime farmland must be restored to equal or higher level | Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, 1977 |
Forbids interstate commerce in illegally killed wildlife | Lacy Act 1900 |
Protects waterways to promote commerce | Rivers and harbors act 1899 |
Can’t dump industrial waste or sewage into ocean after 1991 | ocean dumping ban 1988 |
• Preserves wilderness areas to provide opportunities for solitude • To qualify as a wilderness, human imprints in area must be unnoticeable | US Wilderness act |
• Agencies to coordinate with teach other to make sure wildlife receive consideration during planning/construction of major projects (dams, etc.) | Fish and Wildlife coordination Act |
Policy regarding concept of multiple land use (ex: Forest Service lands) | Federal Land Policy Management Act (FLPMA) |
• To protect humans/environment from pesticides • Pesticides must be registered, classified, labeled, and properly used | Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act |
• Set new standards for way EPA regulates pesticides (must be reasonable certain pesticides used on foods are not harmful) | Food Quality Protection Act, 1996 |
• Disposal sites (repositories) for high-level radioactive waste should be developed | Nuclear Waste Policy Act |
• States have responsibility to deal with low-level radioactive waste | Low Level Radioactive Policy Act |
• Moratorium on mineral exploration for 50 years in Antarctica | Madrid Protocol |
International agreement meant to regulate trade of wild animals/plants so as not to threaten their survival | Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITIES) |
• Controlling global warming by setting greenhouse gas emissions targets for developed countries • Many developing nations not participating | Kyoto Protocol, 1997 |
• Phase-out of ozone deleting substances (CFC’s down 50% by year 2000) • Some developing nations not participating | Montreal Protocol 1987 |