Chapter 2 COPY Flashcards
Laws that protect water quality
Clean Water Act
Safe Drinking Water Act
Ocean Dumping Ban Act
Laws that protect air quality
Clean Air Act
Montreal Protocol
Kyoto Protocol
Paris Climate Agreement
Laws that protect biodiversity
Endangered Species Act Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora & Fauna (CITES) Marine Mammals Protection Act National Invasive Species Act
Laws that control hazardous waste
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Nuclear Waste Policy Act
Toxic Substances Control Act
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)
Other Key Environmental Laws
Food Quality Protection Act
National Environmental Policy Act
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
Pollution Prevention Act
Clean Water Act
1977, 1981, 1987
Maintain the chemical, physical, & biological integrity of US waters
Originally looked at point sources (sewage plants, industry)
Now looks at nonpoint sources (runoff, construction, farms)
Safe Drinking Water Act
1974, 1984, 1996
Set maximum contaminant levels for pollutants in drinking water that may have adverse effects on human health
Ocean Dumping Ban Act
1988
Prohibits the dumping of sewage sludge & industrial waste into the ocean
Requires payment of special fees for dumping & enforces penalties
Clean Air Act
1963, 1965, 1970, 1977, 1990
Regulations & standards for businesses, vehicles, & other sources that release harmful gases into the atmosphere
Montreal Protocol
1987
Phase-out of ozone depleting substances
Kyoto Protocol
2005
Created to reduce greenhouse gases & prevent anthropogenic climate change
Countries promise to reduce their CO2 & other greenhouse gas emissions
US was the only country not to adopt the protocol
Paris Climate Agreement
2016
“brings all nations into a common cause to undertakeambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects, with enhanced support to assist developing countries to do so”
Goal of keeping global temperature rise this century <2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels
Endangered Species Act
1973, 1982, 1985, 1988
Protects the ecosystem on which endangered plants & animals reside
Classifies species as endangered or threatened
Illegal to capture, transport, or sell - poaching
CITES
Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Flora & Fauna
1975
Aims to ensure that international trade of plants & wild animals doesn’t threaten their survival
Marine Mammals Protection Act
1972
Prevent species population stock from declining to the point where they cease to be essential elements of the ecosystem
Protects dolphins, whales, sea lions, walruses, manatees, sea otters, polar bears, seals, dugongs
National Invasive Species Act
1996
Prevents the introduction and spread of aquatic nuisance species into US waters through ballast water
Authorized funding for research on aquatic nuisance species prevention and control
Created a ballast water management program to demonstrate technologies and practices (Coast Guard)
Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA)
1976, 1989
Manages solid & hazardous waste disposal
Involves protection, conservation of energy & resources (recycling & recovery), reduction of wastes & clean up
Provides “cradle to grave” control of hazardous wastes
Nuclear Waste Policy Act
1982
Created a timetable and procedure for establishing a permanent, underground repository for high-level radioactive waste
Yucca Mountain, Nevada
Toxic Substances Control Act
TOSCA
1976
EPA has the ability to track 75,000 industrial chemicals that are produced by or imported into the US
Requires testing of any chemical that poses a potential human health hazard
EPA can ban any toxic substance
CERCLA
Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, & Liability Act
1980, 1986, 1990
Established prohibitions and requirements concerning closed and abandoned hazardous waste sites – Superfund sites
Provided for liability of persons responsible for releases of hazardous waste at these sites
Established a trust fund to provide for cleanup when no responsible party could be identified
Food Quality Protection Act
1996
EPA regulates the use of pesticides to prevent unreasonable bad effects on human health
EPA establishes tolerances for pesticides residues in foods
Incentives for farmers to incorporate effective crop maintenance
National Environmental Policy Act
NEPA
1969
Requires evaluation of the environmental impact of an activity proposed by a federal agency.
An environmental impact statement (EIS) must be developed for every major federal project likely to have an important effect on environmental quality.
Surface Mining Control & Reclamation Act
SMCRA 1977 Regulates the effects of coal mining Regulates & inspects mining sites Enforces land restrictions
Pollution Prevention Act
1990
Focuses on the reduction of pollutants at their point of origin
Goal to increase the adoption of cost-effective source reduction measures
