Exam 4 - Chapter 15 (Environment Law)

Question 1

What are the principal sources of environmental law?

Answer 1

• Common law actions
• State and local regulation
• Federal regulation

Question 2

What is the National Environment Policy Act of 1970 (NEPA)?

Answer 2

• Federal statute that mandates that the federal government consider the adverse impact a federal government action would have on the environment before the action is implemented.
• Created the Council on Environmental Quality.
• Does not apply to action by state or local governments or private parties.

Question 3

When must a environmental impact statement (EIS) be prepared?

Answer 3

all federal actions that significantly affect the quality of the human environment

Question 4

What is the purpose of an environmental impact statement (EIS)?

Answer 4

to provide enough information about the environment to enable the federal government to determine the feasibility of the project

Question 5

What are the 3 elements needed to be present (threshold considerations) for an EIS to be required?

Answer 5

1) The action is federal. Grand of a license, issuance of a loan, or lease of property by federal agency
2) Major Activity, i.e. requires substantial commitment of resources
3) Activity must have substantial impact on the human environment

Question 6

What must an EIS do?

Answer 6

1) Describe affected environment
2) Describe impact on environment
3) Identify and discuss alternatives
4) List resources to be committed
5) Contain cost-benefit analysis

Question 7

What is the Safe Drinking Water Act?

Answer 7

• Authorizes the EPA to establish national primary drinking water standards.
• Prohibits the dumping of wastes into wells used for drinking water.
• The states are primarily responsible for enforcing the act.

Question 8

What does the Superfund require the EPA to do?

Answer 8

• Identify sites in the U.S. where hazardous wastes have been disposed, stored, abandoned, or spilled, and
• Rank these sites regarding the severity of risk
• The hazardous waste sites with the highest ranking are put on a National Priority List
• The law provides for the creation of a fund to finance the cleanup of hazardous waste sites
• Can order polluter or landowner to pay for cleanup

Question 9

Did the US sign the Kyoto Protocol?

Answer 9

No, we made our own regulations