Environmental Laws and International Treaties

Question 1

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

Answer 1

Requires federal agencies to integrate environmental values into their decision-making processes by considering the environmental impacts of their proposed actions; Requires agencies to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement detailing impact to the surrounding environment

Question 2

Endangered Species Act

Answer 2

Identifies threatened and endangered species in the United States, and puts their protection ahead of economic considerations

Question 3

Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

Answer 3

(International Treaty); Lists species that cannot be commercially traded as live specimens or wildlife products

Question 4

Marine Mammal Protection Act

Answer 4

Protects all marine mammals by prohibiting, with certain exceptions, the taking of marine mammals in U.S. waters and by U.S. citizens on the high seas and the importation of marine mammals and marine mammal products into the United States

Question 5

Lacey Act

Answer 5

Prohibits interstate transport of wild animals–dead or alive–without federal permit

Question 6

Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, Rodenticide Act

Answer 6

Regulates the effectiveness of pesticides

Question 7

Food Quality Protection Act

Answer 7

Sets pesticide limits in food, and all active and inactive ingredients must be screened for estrogenic/endocrine effects

Question 8

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Treaty

Answer 8

(International treaty not ratified by the United States as of 2009); This treaty originated at the Stockholm convention. It is an international agreement to phase out 12 organic persistent pollutants also known as the “dirty dozen,” such as DDT and PCBs

Question 9

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act

Answer 9

Regulates coal mining activities in the United States and requires reclaiming of land after use

Question 10

Federal Mine Safety and Health Act

Answer 10

Set forth federal health and safety regulations for all coal and non-coal mining operations in the United States

Question 11

Energy Policy Act

Answer 11

This U.S. law provides incentives, typically in the form of government subsidies, for various energy resources including fossil fuels, and nuclear and alternative energy sources

Question 12

Safe Drinking Water Act

Answer 12

Sets maximum contaminant levels for pollutants that may have adverse affects on human health

Question 13

Clean Water Act

Answer 13

Sets maximum permissible amounts of water pollutants that can be discharged into waterways. Main goals are to reduce surface water pollution into lakes, rivers, and streams

Question 14

Water Quality Act

Answer 14

Amended the Clean Water Act by addressing storm water pollution issues; Requires industrial storm water discharges and municipal sewage discharge facilities to acquire permits

Question 15

Ocean Dumping Ban Act

Answer 15

Bans dumping of sewage sludge and industrial waste in the ocean

Question 16

Clean Air Act

Answer 16

Sets emission standards for cars, addresses requirements for reducing ozone depletion and acid deposition

Question 17

Kyoto Protocol

Answer 17

(International agreement not signed by the United States as of early 2010) Controls global warming by setting greenhouse gas emissions targets for developed countries

Question 18

Montreal Protocol

Answer 18

(International agreement sign by the United States) Phase-out of ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorcarbons (HCFCs)

Question 19

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

Answer 19

Controls hazardous waste with cradle-to-grave system requirements

Question 20

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act

Answer 20

Identifies superfund sites, designed to identify and clean up abandoned hazardous waste dump sites (CERCLA)

Question 21

Nuclear Waste Policy Act

Answer 21

Encourages development of a U.S. high-level nuclear waste repository site by 2015 (original proposed site was Yucca Mountain, Nevada)

Question 22

Low-Level Radioactive Policy Act

Answer 22

Requires all states to have facilities to handle low-level radioactive waves

Question 23

Basel Convention

Answer 23

(International treaty not signed by the United States) Treaty drafted as a result of hazardous waste from developed nations being shipped overseas to developing countries. It requires that developing countries must give full permission to accept the hazardous waste. As of early 2010, this treaty has been signed by 172 countries