hi Flashcards
Clean Air Act (1970)
Allows EPA to regulate air emissions.
comprehensive Federal law that regulates all sources of air emissions
1970 CAA authorized the EPA to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and the environment.
Clean Water Act (1972)
Federal Water Pollution Control Act
Grants EPA Authority to set water pollution standards. Establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters.
Made point-source discharge unlawful
CERCLA (1980) (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act)
Passed in response to alarming and decidedly unacceptable hazardous waste practices and management in the 1970s.
Superfund - budget funded by environmental, petroleum and chemical taxes paid.
“Superfund” used to clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous-waste sites as well as accidents, spills, and other emergency releases of pollutants and contaminants into the environment
Endangered Species Act (1973)
Prohibits the taking of, or habitat disruption of species on the endangered list
RCRA (1976) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Gave EPA the authority to regulate hazardous waste from “cradle to Grave”
SDWA (Safe Drinking Water Act)
Protects waters that are used, or potentially used, for drinking water sources
Gives EPA the authority to track industrial chemicals
CITES (1973)
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
Regulates international trade of species that are threatened with extinction
Montreal Protocol (1987)
1987 Established a plan to reduce ozone depleting CFCs
Strengthened later by the Copenhagen Protocol
Convention on Climate Change (1992)
Treaty started at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro
Attempts to establish a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels
