ENVIRONMENTAL LAW1970-1979

1970CLEAN AIR ACT

This act was passed as an attempt to regulate the amount of harmful pollutants into our air.

The Clean Air act’s goal was to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards to protect our environment from common pollutants such as: ozone (smog), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, lead, particulate soot.

State governments must devise cleanup plans to meet the heath standards by a specific date. (Areas with the worst smog have a longer time to meet the standards.)

1972CLEAN WATER ACT

Public concern in the early 1970’s led to awareness about pollution and contamination of water

Many years of allowing state and local governments to regulate their pollutants was not working, so congress passed this act.

The main goal of this act was to found the EPA, which enforces standards set by the act and other laws.

The EPA was supposed to ensure that all waters in the U.S. be swimmable and fishable by 1983.

The act also set a goal of “zero discharge” of pollutants by 1985 This act is known as a command-and-control law, because the

federal government set standards for the whole country to adhere to.

1973ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

President Nixon declared that the current effort to save plant and animal species was inadequate, and had congress pass new legislation

Through federal action and by encouraging the establishment of state programs, the 1973 Endangered Species Act provided for the conservation of ecosystems upon which threatened and endangered species of fish, wildlife, and plants depend. The Act: authorizes the determination and listing of species as endangered and threatened; prohibits unauthorized taking, possession, sale, and transport of endangered species; provides authority to acquire land for the conservation of listed species, using land and

water conservation funds; authorizes establishment of cooperative agreements and grants-in-aid to States that

establish and maintain active and adequate programs for endangered and threatened wildlife and plants;

authorizes the assessment of civil and criminal penalties for violating the Act or regulations; and

authorizes the payment of rewards to anyone furnishing information leading to arrest and conviction for any violation of the Act or any regulation issued thereunder.

The safe drinking water act is similar to the clean water act, but it’s designed to regulate our drinking water

The SDWA requires EPA to establish National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for contaminants that may cause adverse public health effects.

The first standards for required monitoring by public water systems were set for some inorganic contaminants (e.g., metals, nitrates), microbial contaminants (e.g., bacteria), turbidity, and radionuclides (trace amounts of radioactivity emitters such as radium, uranium, and radon). Also, special protection was made available to communities with an aquifer that was the sole source of drinking water.

1974SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT

Before this act was passed, there were no laws specifically regulating hazardous waste elimination

This act set forth guidelines to control hazardous waste, it allows the EPA to have complete control

This includes the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste along with a framework for the management of non-hazardous solid wastes.

1976RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT

1977

SURFACE MINING CONTROL AND RECLAMATION ACT

This act was the direct result of concern for the effects of strip mining (coal)

great demand for coal during World War II led to coal being mined with little regard for environmental consequences. After the war, states continued to enact and expand regulatory programs, some of which required mining permits or the posting of bonds to ensure that the land could be reclaimed after mining was complete, but these state laws failed at hindering the environmental impacts of surface mining.

The SMCRA has five specific components Standards of Performance - regulations for mining Permitting – companies must obtain permits before conducting surface mining Bonding - companies must post a bond sufficient to cover the cost of reclaiming

the site Inspection and Enforcement - gives government regulators the authority to

inspect mining operations, and to punish companies that violate SMCRA Land Restrictions - prohibits surface mining altogether on certain lands, such

as in National Parks and wilderness areas.

1979 yeilded few major environmental law changes in the U.S., while China took it’s first steps towards environmental reform

China was a major contributor of pollutants to our environment until this time.

These laws laid down the guidelines that China would follow for regulating its impact on the environment

1979

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION LAW FOR TRIAL IMPLEMENTATION (CHINA)

Works Cited “Review Sheets for AP Exam: Environment and Society” Mark

Ewoldson, November 11/02 “Major Environmental Laws and Summaries” Http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Ce-Cr/Clean-Water-

Act.html http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/ESACT.html http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Re-St/Safe-Drinking-

Water-Act.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safe_Drinking_Water_Act http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/laws/rcra.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Surface_Mining_Control_and_Reclamation_Act_of_1977 http://www.china.org.cn/english/environment/34356.htm