History of Environmental Protection Flashcards
Law: reduce polluted discharge into water ways and run off that affect surface waters.
Clean Water Act
Regulates management of waste disposal from “cradle to the grave”
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Establishes uniformity of management to protect natural resources, habitats, wildlife & plants
National Park Service Act
Regulates and monitors over 200 power plant reactors and other uses of this type of material
Nuclear Regulatory Commision
Reports scientific information to evaluate risk of human induced global atmospheric changes
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Federal agencies must prepare detailed report known as Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
National Environmental Policy Act
Wildlife biologist promoted a Land Ethic and wrote A Sand County Almanac
Aldo Leopold
Goal is to halt biodiversity loss and apply nature-based solutions to global challenges
IUCN
Identify and protect threatened endangered species by preserving wildlife habitats
Endangered Species Act (ESA)
Holds parties responsible for hazardous waste site remediation; known as Superfund sites
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
Prohibits discharge of material in ocean that would endanger aquatic habitat or human health
Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act
Enacted as result of dust bowl in 1935; goal to prevent erosion from overuse of land
Soil Conservation Act
Triggered debate about limited carrying capacity of Earth book The Population Bomb.
Paul Ehrlich
legislation summarized as Reduce, Recycle, Reuse; disposal is the last resort.
Pollution Prevention Act
Pollution from what is an example of point source pollution?
Smoke from an industrial plant smokestack
Evaluates the scientific, societal, and economic information relevant for understanding the risk of human induced global atmospheric changes and publishes assessment reports on vulnerabilities and mitigation options for policy makers
Intergovernmental panel on climate change
Signed by Wilson in 1916 to establish a uniformity of management standard and to protect natural resources, habitats, wildlife and plants
National park service act
Provides loan guarantees for entities that develop or use innovative technologies that avoid the by-production of greenhouse gases. Another provision of the Act increases the amount of biofuel that must be mixed with gasoline sold in the United States.
Energy Policy Act
Streamlined and strengthened EPA’s ability to prevent and respond to catastrophic spills. A trust fund financed by a tax is available to clean up spills when the responsible party is incapable of doing so. Requires storage facilities and vessels to submit to the Federal government plans detailing how they will respond to large discharge events
Oil Pollution act
Legislation designed to reduce polluted direct discharge into water ways, water treatment processes, and management of run off that affect surface waters
Clean Water Act
Federal organization that regulates and monitors over 200 commercial power plant reactors and other uses of this type of material
Nuclear Regulatory Commision
Goal of this organization is to promote sustainability and stewardship for the Earth. Functions by informing and organizing environmentalists and using the court system to stop harmful practices
National Resource Defense Council
Law passed in 1977 to return land to its original or better condition after mineral extraction on public or private land. Sets standards of operation to minimize the effects of this practice on the environment.
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
Wildlife biologist known for the concept “Land Ethic” and wrote A Sand County Almanac to promote wildlife conservation
Aldo Leopold
Marine biologist that spoke out against pesticide use in the book Silent Spring
Rachel Carson
Established national air quality standards in 1970 and was amended in 1990 to include regulation of air pollution problems such as ozone depletion and acid rain
Clean Air Act
Naturalist that started the Sierra Club with the purpose to protect nature; BFF to Teddy Roosevelt and helped influence him to establish national parks
John Muir
Regulates management of waste disposal from “cradle to the grave”.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
1990 legislation summarized as reduce, reuse, recycle; disposal is the last resort.
Pollution Prevention Act
Legislation that establishes the use of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) as part of the site planning.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Authorizes the EPA to set and enforce health based standards for drinking water and includes source water protection
Safe Drinking Water Act
Enacted as a result of the dust bowl in 1935; established service with USDA to prevent erosion from overuse of land
Soil Conservation Act
Legislation enacted by Nixon in 1973 to identify and protect threatened and endangered species by preserving wildlife habitats.
Endangered Species Act
The first global environmental organization that promotes conservation of biodiversity and natural resources. The goal is to promote a “green economy” for all industry. Maintains the “Red List” of endangered and threatened species.
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Holds negligent parties responsible for hazardous waste site remediation; these areas are known as Superfund sites
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)
Intergovernmental organization that protects marine life from overharvesting and prevents extinction by authorizing moratoriums on large ocean mammals.
International Whaling Commision
Triggered debates about the limited carrying capacity of Earth with the book The Population Bomb
Paul Ehrlich
Established in 1970 to protect human health and the environment. Enforces environmental laws.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Bans the hunting, capturing, and selling of endangered or threatened species and regulates the global trade of organisms listed as potentially threatened.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)
Protects U.S. coastlines and prohibits the discharge of material that would endanger marine habitats or human health; also known as the Ocean Dumping Act
Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act
