Environmental Laws and Regulations

Geology | Lehigh River Watershed Explorations | Weather | Environmental Issues | Data Collection Activities

Date

Law

Description

Regulatory Agency

1900 (amended 1935, 1945, 1981) Lacey Act

Prohibits interstate shipment of wildlife killed illegally.

Bans import of exotic species that could potentially interfere with the growth of native plants and animals.

Protects populations of game birds.

Protects rare plant species and fish species.

Makes it illegal to mislabel shipments of wildlife, bring harmful species in the U.S. or transport animals under inhumane conditions.

1955 (amended 1970, 1977, 1990) Clean Air Act

Federal law that regulates air emissions from mobile, stationary, and area sources.

Authorized the EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and the environment.

Regulates air emissions using National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for air pollutants that have known harmful effects. The standards set limits for the maximum amount of a pollutant that can be in the outdoor air. The pollutants that are monitored the most are carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, ozone, particulates, and sulfur dioxides.

If states exceed the NAAQS, they must identify a plan to bring the air quality pollution levels down to acceptable limits.

Amended in 1977 to set new goals because many areas of the country failed to meet the initial deadlines.

Amended in 1990 to consider problems such as acid rain, ground-level ozone, stratospheric ozone depletion, and air toxins.

Developed a research program to prevent and control air pollution.

Provided finding for state and local governments to carry out pollution prevention programs.

EPA

1964 Wilderness Act
Protects undeveloped lands from mining, oil drilling, logging, grazing, and other activities to ensure their existence for wildlife protection and the enjoyment of future generations.

US Fish and Wildlife

Bureau of land Management

Forest Service

1966 National Wildlife Refuge System

Works to enhance the habitat of migratory birds and of mammals and non-migratory birds. Regulates hunting, fishing, and mining on national refuge lands.

Fish and Wildlife Service

1969 National Environmental Policy Act

Requires agencies to consider the environmental impacts of their activities in planning and permitting projects such as construction of roads, buildings, homes, etc.

Requires that the environmental effects of projects be written up in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

The EIS must indicate alternatives for planning that have the least harmful effect on the environment.

Established the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

EPA

Council on Environmental Quality

Freedom of Information Act
Allows for the release of federal government information to the general population.

Applies to various agencies

1972 (amended 1977,1981, 1987) Clean Water Act

The main focus of the Clean Water Act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters.

The law focuses on monitoring sewage and industrial pollutants. Sewage (or wastewater) treatment plants have been built and have greatly reduced the amount of untreated waste entering the waterways.

Every facility that releases substances into the waterways must have a permit, which sets limits for releasing pollutants into the surface waters.

Also known as the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

Provides grants for the construction of sewage treatment plants.

Sets effluent limitations and standards for water quality.

Set up non-point source pollution program.

Requires certification of persons who take of discharge water from navigable waters.

Army Corps of Engineers

EPA

Department of the Interior

1973 Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act allows the government to place any species that is threatened or endangered under protection to prevent their extinction.

Maintains the "critical habitats" of threatened or endangered species in order to help the species recover.

US Fish and Wildlife Service

National Marine Fisheries Service

1972 Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodendicide Act (FIFRA)

Allows the government to control the sale, distribution, and use of pesticides.

Farmers and large companies must be registered to purchase and use the chemicals.

Those who handle and apply pesticides must be certified with proper training so that they know how to safely handle the chemicals.

Companies that make pesticides must register the chemicals with the EPA, who monitors the labeling and identification of pesticides to ensure they do not cause harm to people or the environment.

Regulates imports and exports.

Regulates experimental use permits.

US Department of Agriculture

1974 (amended 1977, 1986) Safe Water Drinking Act

Requires that public drinking water be tested regularly for several different contaminants that are harmful to human health.

Contaminant levels must not exceed “maximum contaminant levels”, set by the government.

Requires environmental assessments of any projects that may impact an aquifer or recharge area.

EPA

Department of the Interior

1976 (amended 1984, 1986) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Controls the production, storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal of hazardous wastes.

All producers of hazardous waste must keep strict records of how the materials are used, where it is shipped, and how it is disposed of.

Tracks hazardous waste through its lifespan to ensure proper use and disposal of substances.

EPA

1976 Toxic Substances Control Act

The EPA tracks chemicals imported into the United States through this act.

The EPA reviews the composition and effects of imported chemicals and can require manufacturers to conduct tests and monitor the effects of the chemical in the environment.

Tests new chemicals to determine hazards.
Set limits for development of new chemicals.

EPA

1976 Federal Land Policy and Management Act

Inventory of public lands.

Planning for use of public lands

Coordination between federal and state organizations.

Bureau of Land Management

1977 Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act

Helps to minimize the negative effects of mining, such as leaching of pollutants from abandoned mines and scarring of the Earth’s surface.

EPA
Department of Interior, Office of Surface Mining

1980 (amended 1986, 1990) Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

CERCLA controls hazardous waste that has been created and disposed of in the past. (RCRA deals with present day hazardous waste.)

Sites where hazardous waste exists and presents significant harm to the natural environment and human health are placed on a National Priorities List (NPL).

The government focuses on the cleanup of NPL sites and tries to identify the party responsible to make them pay for the cleanup.

The Superfund was created to provide money for cleanup of hazardous waste sites. The money comes from taxes placed on chemical and petroleum companies.

EPA Department of Interior

1987 Water Quality Act

This is an amendment to the Clean Water Act, which places further controls on the pollutant discharges at specific hotspots where pollution is severe.

Requires states to develop measures to control point and non-point source pollution.

Provides assistance for the building of wastewater treatment plants.

DEP

Environmental Issue Scenarios

Date	Law	Description	Regulatory Agency
1900 (amended 1935, 1945, 1981)	Lacey Act	Prohibits interstate shipment of wildlife killed illegally. Bans import of exotic species that could potentially interfere with the growth of native plants and animals. Protects populations of game birds. Protects rare plant species and fish species. Makes it illegal to mislabel shipments of wildlife, bring harmful species in the U.S. or transport animals under inhumane conditions.
1955 (amended 1970, 1977, 1990)	Clean Air Act	Federal law that regulates air emissions from mobile, stationary, and area sources. Authorized the EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and the environment. Regulates air emissions using National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for air pollutants that have known harmful effects. The standards set limits for the maximum amount of a pollutant that can be in the outdoor air. The pollutants that are monitored the most are carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, ozone, particulates, and sulfur dioxides. If states exceed the NAAQS, they must identify a plan to bring the air quality pollution levels down to acceptable limits. Amended in 1977 to set new goals because many areas of the country failed to meet the initial deadlines. Amended in 1990 to consider problems such as acid rain, ground-level ozone, stratospheric ozone depletion, and air toxins. Developed a research program to prevent and control air pollution. Provided finding for state and local governments to carry out pollution prevention programs.	EPA
1964	Wilderness Act	Protects undeveloped lands from mining, oil drilling, logging, grazing, and other activities to ensure their existence for wildlife protection and the enjoyment of future generations.	US Fish and Wildlife Bureau of land Management Forest Service
1966	National Wildlife Refuge System	Works to enhance the habitat of migratory birds and of mammals and non-migratory birds. Regulates hunting, fishing, and mining on national refuge lands.	Fish and Wildlife Service
1969	National Environmental Policy Act	Requires agencies to consider the environmental impacts of their activities in planning and permitting projects such as construction of roads, buildings, homes, etc. Requires that the environmental effects of projects be written up in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS must indicate alternatives for planning that have the least harmful effect on the environment. Established the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).	EPA Council on Environmental Quality
	Freedom of Information Act	Allows for the release of federal government information to the general population.	Applies to various agencies
1972 (amended 1977,1981, 1987)	Clean Water Act	The main focus of the Clean Water Act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters. The law focuses on monitoring sewage and industrial pollutants. Sewage (or wastewater) treatment plants have been built and have greatly reduced the amount of untreated waste entering the waterways. Every facility that releases substances into the waterways must have a permit, which sets limits for releasing pollutants into the surface waters. Also known as the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Provides grants for the construction of sewage treatment plants. Sets effluent limitations and standards for water quality. Set up non-point source pollution program. Requires certification of persons who take of discharge water from navigable waters.	Army Corps of Engineers EPA Department of the Interior
1973	Endangered Species Act	The Endangered Species Act allows the government to place any species that is threatened or endangered under protection to prevent their extinction. Maintains the "critical habitats" of threatened or endangered species in order to help the species recover.	US Fish and Wildlife Service National Marine Fisheries Service
1972	Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodendicide Act (FIFRA)	Allows the government to control the sale, distribution, and use of pesticides. Farmers and large companies must be registered to purchase and use the chemicals. Those who handle and apply pesticides must be certified with proper training so that they know how to safely handle the chemicals. Companies that make pesticides must register the chemicals with the EPA, who monitors the labeling and identification of pesticides to ensure they do not cause harm to people or the environment. Regulates imports and exports. Regulates experimental use permits.	US Department of Agriculture
1974 (amended 1977, 1986)	Safe Water Drinking Act	Requires that public drinking water be tested regularly for several different contaminants that are harmful to human health. Contaminant levels must not exceed “maximum contaminant levels”, set by the government. Requires environmental assessments of any projects that may impact an aquifer or recharge area.	EPA Department of the Interior
1976 (amended 1984, 1986)	Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)	Controls the production, storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal of hazardous wastes. All producers of hazardous waste must keep strict records of how the materials are used, where it is shipped, and how it is disposed of. Tracks hazardous waste through its lifespan to ensure proper use and disposal of substances.	EPA
1976	Toxic Substances Control Act	The EPA tracks chemicals imported into the United States through this act. The EPA reviews the composition and effects of imported chemicals and can require manufacturers to conduct tests and monitor the effects of the chemical in the environment. Tests new chemicals to determine hazards. Set limits for development of new chemicals.	EPA
1976	Federal Land Policy and Management Act	Inventory of public lands. Planning for use of public lands Coordination between federal and state organizations.	Bureau of Land Management
1977	Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act	Helps to minimize the negative effects of mining, such as leaching of pollutants from abandoned mines and scarring of the Earth’s surface.	EPA Department of Interior, Office of Surface Mining
1980 (amended 1986, 1990)	Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)	CERCLA controls hazardous waste that has been created and disposed of in the past. (RCRA deals with present day hazardous waste.) Sites where hazardous waste exists and presents significant harm to the natural environment and human health are placed on a National Priorities List (NPL). The government focuses on the cleanup of NPL sites and tries to identify the party responsible to make them pay for the cleanup. The Superfund was created to provide money for cleanup of hazardous waste sites. The money comes from taxes placed on chemical and petroleum companies.	EPA Department of Interior
1987	Water Quality Act	This is an amendment to the Clean Water Act, which places further controls on the pollutant discharges at specific hotspots where pollution is severe. Requires states to develop measures to control point and non-point source pollution. Provides assistance for the building of wastewater treatment plants.	DEP