Kimberly

The beginning of public awareness:1940-1964

Programs and legislation passed during this era included:

Air quality regulations

Federal environmental programs

Water pollution control

Atomic energy

Signed into law in April 1946 by President Truman after the World War 2 attacks on Japan proved more fatal and destructive than previous estimates had predicted

The purpose of the act was to control the development and production of nuclear weapons in the US and around the world

Directed the research and creation of peaceful uses of nuclear energy

The river was used as Cleveland’s dumping ground for industrial waste and as a result it caught fire several times during this period burning for days straight

Events such as this raised awareness about the hazards of pollution

• Led to the creation of the Clean Water Act of 1972

These acts represented government responses to growing national problems with air quality

The act of 1955 allowed $5 million a year in funding for extensive air quality research nation-wide

The act of 1963 funded more research and encouraged the use of technology which removed sulfur from coal and oil fuels

Recognized the input from vehicle exhaust and sought to set limits for emissions

By Rachel CarsonThe book addressed the growing

problem of pesticide use in the environment particularly the widespread use of DDT

First book to describe the effects of bio-magnification on birds and humans

• Discussed health concerns and environmental effects• Spurred nationwide concern for over-use of pesticides and the health risks associated with those pesticides for both people and animals leading to the modern-day environmental movement

Signed by President Johnson (written by Sen. Humphrey)Established The National Wilderness Preservation

System and saved 9.1 million acres of federally protected wilderness in national forests for national parks

Punch bowl falls, Eagle Creek Wilderness area, CA

•The act did not create the national park system but established a framework and guidelines for the later development of US national parks which would total up to 26% of the nations land

The 20th century, particularly the 1960s was an important time period for raising public and government awareness and also for developing new and effective environmental regulation that led to the modern environmental movement

http://www.atomicarchive.com/Timeline/Time1940.shtml

http://www.ametsoc.org/sloan/cleanair/cleanairlegisl.html

http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/caa_history.html http://wilderness.org/content/wilderness-act-1964