Major Environmental Laws

Major environmental laws shape how we protect air, water, and wildlife in the U.S. These laws set standards and regulations to ensure public health and safety while promoting sustainable practices. Understanding them is key to grasping environmental policy and law.

1. Clean Air Act (CAA)

   • Establishes national air quality standards to protect public health and the environment.
   • Regulates emissions of hazardous air pollutants from stationary and mobile sources.
   • Requires states to develop State Implementation Plans (SIPs) to achieve and maintain air quality standards.

2. Clean Water Act (CWA)

   • Aims to restore and maintain the integrity of the nation's waters by preventing point and nonpoint source pollution.
   • Establishes the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) for regulating discharges into waters.
   • Provides funding for the construction of wastewater treatment facilities.

3. Endangered Species Act (ESA)

   • Protects threatened and endangered species and their habitats.
   • Requires federal agencies to ensure that actions do not jeopardize the existence of listed species.
   • Establishes recovery plans for the conservation of listed species.

4. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

   • Requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions before making decisions.
   • Mandates the preparation of Environmental Assessments (EAs) and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs).
   • Promotes public involvement in the decision-making process regarding environmental impacts.

5. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

   • Governs the management of hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste.
   • Establishes a framework for the proper disposal and treatment of hazardous waste.
   • Encourages waste minimization and resource recovery practices.

6. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA/Superfund)

   • Provides a federal "Superfund" program to clean up hazardous waste sites.
   • Allows the government to respond to releases of hazardous substances that may endanger public health or the environment.
   • Establishes liability for responsible parties to fund cleanup efforts.

7. Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)

   • Protects public health by regulating the nation's public drinking water supply.
   • Sets national standards for drinking water quality and oversees state implementation.
   • Requires monitoring and reporting of contaminants in drinking water.

8. Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)

   • Regulates the introduction of new or already existing chemicals.
   • Requires testing and reporting of chemical substances to assess their safety.
   • Authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to restrict or ban substances that pose an unreasonable risk.

9. Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)

   • Regulates the sale, distribution, and use of pesticides in the U.S.
   • Requires all pesticides to be registered and approved by the EPA before use.
   • Ensures that pesticides do not pose unreasonable risks to human health or the environment.

10. Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)

    • Ensures safe and healthful working conditions for employees by setting and enforcing standards.
    • Requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards.
    • Provides training, outreach, education, and assistance to improve workplace safety.