Natural Resources Planning Flashcards
First Earth Day
April 22, 1970
Notes
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (1927)
Established to create Colorado River Aquaduct (1933-1941).
Author of “Silent Spring” (1962)
Chemical pesticides’ danger and DDT
Rachel Carson
Restrictions on the discharge of pollutants into the environment.
________ guidelines reduce discharge of pollutants with serious environmental impacts.
EPA has ________ guidelines for more than 50 categories.
Effluent Standards
Pollution type that is discharged directly from a specific site. Ex. sewage treatment plant or industrial pipe.
Point Source Pollution
Contaminated runoff from many sources.
Non-Point Source Pollution
Water that is safe to drink.
Potable Water.
One or more rock/sediment strata that is saturated and permeable to yield eocnomically significant quantities of water to wells or springs.
Includes geologic material that is currently used or oculd be used as source of water within the target distance limit.
Wells can be drilled into these and water can be pumped out.
Recharged via precipitation and porous rock.
Rates of recharge vary - consider this when pumping.
Aquifer
Area where freshwater meets saltwater.
Estuary
Shallow body of water located alongside a coast.
Lagoon
Freshwater/brackish/saltwater wetland found along water bodies.
Does not accumulate appreciable peat deposits and is dominated by herbaceous vegetation.
Marsh
Pond, lake, tank, or basin that stores/controls water.
Natural or man-made.
Resevoir
Rivers, lakes, oceans, and coastal tidewaters
Surface Water
Freshwater wetland that has spongy, muddy land, and a lot of water.
Swamp
Region drained by, or contributing water to, surface water.
Watershed.
Underground boudnary between soil surface and the area where groundwater saturates spaces between sediments and cracks in rock.
Water pressure and atmospheric pressure are equal at this boundary.
Water Table
Swamps, marshes, and bogs.
Inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support vegetation adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.
Natural or constructed.
Wetlands
This act requires anyone wanting to discharge pollutants into a body of water to obtain a permit.
Regulates amount of water that can be discharged and types of pollutants that can be released.
Clean Water Act of 1972 (amended 1977)
Official name: Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
Permit required to discharge pollutants into the water.
Must be obtained from National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
Point Source Discharge Permit
Federal act that cut off Federal funding for metropolitan areas not in air quality attainment.
In non-attainment areas, new pollution sources are allowed only if there is a reduction in pollutants greater thant he pollutants contributed by the new source.
EPA publishes a “Green Book” which lists National Ambient Air Quality Standards, designations, classfications, and non-attainment status.
Clean Air Act of 1970 (amended 1977 and 1990).
Clean Air Act notes
Federal Government sets ambient standards and states must devise methods that enable these standards to be met.
Air Quality Control Regions created to measure air quality in air sheds (can’t measure air quality in only one area).
Requires a permit to release pollutants in the air.
Monitors: ozone, particulate matter, Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, and Lead.
Process that relates to air quality and requires a project will not increase emissions above a specified _______ increment.
Prevention of Significant Deterrioration (PSD)
These standards set the maximum air contaminant concentrations allowed in the ________ air.
Ambient Air Quality Standards
Legislation that resulted in creation of Council on Environmental Quality.
Requires Federal agencies to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for all major Federal actions that could affect quality of the human environment.
Not all Federal actions require a full EIS.
Agencies first prepare a smaller, shorter Environmental Assessment (EA). EA findings determine whether EIS is required.
If EA shows no likely impact, agency can release a finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and carry on. If not, full EIS required.
More FONSI than full EIS.
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)
Oldest environmetnal law in the US
Prohibits construction of bridges, dams, dikes, or causeways over navigable waterways without congressional approval.
OCngressional approval required for wharves, piers, jetties, and excavation/fill into/of navigable waters.
River and Harbors Act of 1899
Legislation that allows the Surgeon General to prepare program for eliminating/reducing pollution of intersette waters and tributaries and improving the sanitary condition of surface and underground waters.
Allowed Federal Works Administrator to assist government agencies in constructing treatment plants that oculd help to prevent discharges of non-treated sewage.
Water Pollution Control Act of 1948
Legislation that established the Water Pollution Control Administration within the Dept. of the Interior.
First time water quality treated as an environmental concern rather than public health concern.
Water Quality Act of 1965
Legislation that focused efforts on reducing polluted costal runoff in 29 coastal states.
Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (amended 1990)
Amendment to the Water Pollutant Act of 1948.
Broadened the government’s authority over water pollution and restructed the authority for water pollution under the EPA.
Changed enforcement from water quality standards to regulate the number of pollutants being discharged from particular point sources.
Federal Water Pollution Act of 1972
Provides protection of animals and plants that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designates as threatened/endangered.
Amended in 1988.
Endangered Species Act of 1973
Legislation that promotes alternative sources, energy efficiency, and reduced dependence on foreign oil.
Created a market for non-utility power producers and requires utility industry competition.
Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA) of 1978
Legislation that created a $1.6 billion SUPERFUND to clean abandoned hazardous waste sites and requires major industries to report annual releases of toxic wastes into the air, water, or ground.
SUPERFUND is common name for the legislation.
There are more than 1,200 SUPERFUND sites across US.
Tax on petroleum and chemical industries provides funding to help pay for SUPERFUND cleanup.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980
Legislation that provided EPA with ability to control hazardous waste from “cradle-to-grave”.
Regulates generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste and management of non-hazardous waste.
Amended in 1986 to cover environmetnal issues from underground fuel storage tanks.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976
Legislation that provided EPA with responsibility for reporting, record-keeping, testing requirements and restrictions relating to chemical substances and/or mixtures.
Excludes food, drugs, cosmetics, and pesticides.
Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976
Originally passed in 1947.
Established procedures for registering pesticies with US Dept. of Ag.
Amended by Fed. Env. Pesticide Control Act in 1972 and numerous times after by Food Quality and Protection Act of 1996.
Mandates EPA regualte use and sale of pesticides to protect human health and environment.
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
Legislation passed in 1974.
Protects sources of drinking water and end product.
Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974
Term fro real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
Cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties takes development pressure off of undeveloped, open land.
Improves/protects the environment.
Brownfields
Ex. Order 12898 (Clinton - 1994)
Federal agencies must consider and reduce environmental injustices to/on minority and low-income populations.
Mainly in siting of toxic Locally Undesirable Land Uses (LULUs).
Implemented by land use planning regulations. Ex. minimum distances between noxous uses and housing.
Can add to comp. plans by engaging traditionally underrepresented groups in plan development.
