Transcript Environmental Laws and Treaties Notes

MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS
AND POLICIES
1938-PRESENT DAY
FEDERAL FOOD DRUG AND COSMETIC ACT 1938
• REGULATES CONTAMINANTS IN FOOD,
INCLUDING PESTICIDES. REGULATED BY
BOTH THE FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION AND THE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
FEDERAL INSECTICIDE, FUNGICIDE AND RODENTICIDE
ACT 1947
• CONTROLS THE SALE DISTRIBUTION AND
APPLICATION OF PESTICIDES; AMENDED IN
1972, 1988, AND 1996
ATOMIC ENERGY ACT 1954
• PASSED DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT
RADIATION HAZARDS AND THE DISPOSAL
OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE. ESTABLISHED A
GENERAL REGULATORY STRUCTURE FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION AND USE OF NUCLEAR
POWER PLANTS AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS
FACILITIES. THIS ACT DISALLOWS CITIZEN
LAWSUITS
CLEAN AIR ACT 1970
• SET GOALS AND STANDARDS FOR THE
QUALITY AND PURITY OF AIR IN THE U.S. IT
WAS AMENDED IN 1990 TO TOUGHEN AIR
QUALITY STANDARDS
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT 1970
• REQUIRES FEDERAL AGENCIES TO CONDUCT
THOROUGH ASSESSMENTS OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF ALL MAJOR
ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN OR FUNDED BY THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. STATES ALSO HAVE
THESE LAWS GOVERNING STATE ACTIVITIES
MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT 1972
• SEEKS TO PROTECT MARINE LIFE (WHALES,
DOLPHINS, SEA LIONS, SEALS, MANATEES
ETC) MANY OF WHICH ARE ENDANGERED
OR THREATENED.
CLEAN WATER ACT 1972
• ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED GOALS AND
STANDARDS OF U.S. WATER QUALITY AND
PURITY. CWA WAS ENACTED IN 1948 AND
WAS CALLED THE FEDERAL WATER
POLLUTION CONTROL ACT. IT WAS
AMENDED IN 1987 AND 1990 TO CONTROL
TOXIC WASTE AND OIL SPILLS.
COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT ACT 1972
• ALLOWS STATES AND THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO WORK TOGETHER TO
PROTECT COASTAL ZONES FROM
ENVIRONMENTALLY HARMFUL
OVERDEVELOPMENT
• THE CZMA ALSO CALLED FOR A NATIONAL
SYSTEM OF ESTUARINE SANCTUARIES
(LATER REFERRED TO AS RESEARCH
RESERVES) TO REPRESENT
BIOGEOGRAPHIC REGIONS FOR THE
PURPOSE OF LONG-TERM RESEARCH,
STEWARDSHIP, PUBLIC AWARENESS, AND
EDUCATION. TWENTY-SEVEN RESERVES ARE
NOW PART OF THE STATE-FEDERAL
PARTNERSHIP THAT PROTECTS OVER ONE
MILLION ACRES OF COASTAL LANDS AND
WATERS IN THESE PROTECTED AREAS.
•
ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT 1973
• DESIGNED TO PROTECT AND RECOVER
ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES OF
FISH, WILDLIFE AND PLANTS IN THE U.S. AND
BEYOND. IT ALSO HELPS PROTECT HABITATS
SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT 1974
• ESTABLISHED DRINKING WATER STANDARDS
FOR TAP WATER SAFETY, AND REQUIRES
RULES FOR GROUNDWATER PROTECTION
FROM UNDERGROUND INJECTION. IT WAS
AMENDED IN 1986 AND 1996 AND
INCLUDED PUBLIC “RIGHT TO KNOW”
REQUIREMENTS TO INFORM CONSUMERS
ABOUT THEIR TAP WATER
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT
1976
• PREVENTS THE CREATION OF TOXIC WASTE
DUMPS BY SETTING STANDARDS FOR THE
MANAGEMENT OF TOXIC WASTE AS WELL
AS THE CLEANUP OF EXISTING SITES
FEDERAL LAND POLICY AND MANAGEMENT ACT 1976
• PROVIDES FOR PROTECTION OF THE SCENIC,
SCIENTIFIC, HISTORIC AND ECOLOGIC
VALUES OF FEDERAL LANDS AND FOR
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND MANAGEMENT
FISHERIES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT ACT
1976
• GOVERNS THE MANAGEMENT AND
CONTROL OF U.S. MARINE FISH
POPULATIONS AND IS INTENDED TO
MAINTAIN AND RESTORE HEALTHY LEVELS
OF FISH STOCKS AND PREVENT
OVERFISHING
TOXIC SUBSTANCE CONTROL ACT 1976
• AUTHORIZES THE ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) TO REGULATE
THE MANUFACTURE, DISTRIBUTION,
IMPORT AND PROCESSING OF CERTAIN
TOXIC CHEMICALS
SURFACE MINING CONTROL AND RECLAMATION ACT
1977
• ENSURES THAT COAL MINING ACTIVITY IS
CONDUCTED WITH SUFFICIENT
PROTECTIONS TO THE PUBLIC AND THE
ENVIRONMENT AND PROVIDES FOR THE
RESTORATION OF ABANDONED MINES BACK
TO BENEFICIAL USE
EMERGENCY PLANNING AND COMMUNITY RIGHTTO-KNOW ACT 1986
• REQUIRES COMPANIES TO DISCLOSE
INFORMATION ABOUT TOXIC CHEMICALS
THEY RELEASE INTO THE AIR AND WATER
AND DISPOSE ON LAND
PROPOSITION 65 (1986)
• PASSED BY CALIFORNIA VOTERS THIS LAW IS
ALSO KNOWN AS THE SAFE DRINKING
WATER AND TOXIC ENVIRONMENT ACT. IT’S
DESIGNED TO WARN THE PUBLIC OF THE
RISK OF EXPOSURE OF TOXIC CHEMICALS
AND ELIMINATE TOXINS FROM DRINKING
WATER
QUALITY FOOD PROTECTION ACT 1996
• DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT LEVELS OF
PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOOD MEET STRICT
STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH
PROTECTION. UNDER THIS LAW THE EPA IS
REQUIRED TO BETTER PROTECT INFANTS AND
CHILDREN FROM PESTICIDES IN FOOD AND
WATER AND FROM INDOOR EXPOSURE TO
PESTICIDES
OIL POLLUTION ACT 1990
• REQUIRES OIL STORAGE FACILITIES AND
VESSELS TO PREPARE SPILL-RESPONSE PLANS
AND PROVIDE FOR THEIR RAPID
IMPLEMENTATION. THE LAW ALSO
INCREASES LIABILITY FOR CLEAN-UP COSTS
AND DAMAGE TO NATURAL RESOURCES
PROP 65 WARNINGS
Potato chips contain
a substance called
acrylamide which is
formed when any
starchy food is
baked or fried at
high temperatures.
French fries, popcorn,
bread, cereal,
coffee, and any
other starchy food
baked or fried at
high temperature
contain acrylamide.
Lead in Health Food Drinks
and sold at Sprouts
THE DARK ACT 2015
• THE DENY AMERICANS THE RIGHT TO KNOW ACT
• IT WOULD NEGATE ALL EXISTING GMO LABELING
LAWS.
• THE BILL WOULD GIVE JURISDICTION OVER NON-GMO
CERTIFICATION TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE (USDA).
• PREEMPTS STATE AND LOCAL LAWS REGARDING
THE PRODUCTION OF GMO CROPS
• DOESN’T ALLOW FOR STATE REGULATIONS ON
LABELING AND EXPANDS THE MEANING OF NATURAL
TO INCLUDE GMO’S
THE MONSANTO PROTECTION ACT 2015
TREATIES:
*COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATIE- PROHIBITS TESTING OF
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
*THE KYOTO PROTOCOL- SET BINDING LIMITS ON EMISSIONS OF
GREENHOUSE GASES FROM INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES
*MONTREAL PROTOCOL- LIMITS THE PRODUCTION OF
SUBSTANCES HARMFUL TO THE OZONE LAYER
*NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY- CONTROLS THE SPREAD OF
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
*UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE
CHANGE- AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT FOR DEALING WITH
CLIMATE CHANGE ADOPTED BY THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE
IN RIO 1992