Environmental Laws

  • National Park Service Act

    Established the National Park Service within the Department of the Interior
  • Soil Conservation Act

    Farmers can reduce production by allowed government payment in order to conserve soil
  • Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, Rodenticide Act

    Set up basic regulations for the pesticide system in the U.S.
  • Clear Air Act

    First legislation that provided funds for federal government research on controlling national air pollution levels
  • Fish and Wildlife Act

    Established national resource policies emphasized on commercialized fishing, and continued research on domestic and international information on fish and wildlife
  • Price-Anderson Act

    Required U.S. non-military nuclear facilities to maintain liability insurance in the event of a nuclear meltdown
  • Wilderness Act

    Created the National Wilderness Preservation System and recognized wilderness
  • Land and Water Conservation Act

    Federal program that provides funds and grants in regards to land and water
  • Water Quality Act

    Required states to set water quality standards set by the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration
  • Water Resources Planning Act

    Established the Water Resources Council and their described duties
  • Freedom of Information Act

    Allowed that any person has the right to request federal agency records or information within established parameters
  • Species Conservation Act

    Listed native animals as endangered and were given limited protection by the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Defense
  • National Trails System Act

    Authorized three types of trails: connecting-and-side trails and national scenic/recreation trails
  • National Environmental Policy Act

    Promoted the enhancement of the environment by the President’s Council on Environmental Quality
  • Clean Water Act

    Amendments that established the regulation of polluted discharge into U.S. waters
  • Marine Mammal Protection Act

    First approach to wildlife management which placed marine mammals as untouchable
  • Endangered Species Act

    Provided the conservation of endangered or threatened species and their ecosystems
  • Renewable Resources Planning Act

    Authorized long-range planning for the future supply of resources while maintaining the environment
  • Safe Drinking Water Act

    Ensured that public drinking met appropriate standards for safe consumption
  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

    International agreement that ensured for no survival threat to internationally traded animals and plants
  • Federal Land Policy and Management Act

    Governed the administration of public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management
  • Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act

    Amended the Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974
  • National Forest Management Act

    Governed the administration of national forests
  • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

    Authorized the Environmental Protection Agency to control the transport and disposal of hazardous waste
  • Soil and Water Conservation Act

    Provided the authority for the conservation of natural resources to the Department of Agriculture
  • Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act

    Regulated environmental effects of coal mining in the U.S.
  • Arctic Conservation Act

    Addressed the environmental conservation of the Arctic and Antarctic regions
  • Energy Tax Act

    Promoted the shift from oil and gas to renewable energy by taxes
  • Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act

    Provided a “Superfund” to clean up sites of hazardous waste
  • Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act

    Authorized assistance to the conservation plants for nongame fish and wildlife
  • Low Level Radioactive Policy Act

    Established boundaries for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste
  • Nuclear Waste Policy Act

    Established safe and permanent disposal of high-level radioactive waste
  • International Environmental Protection Act

    Assisted the protection of endangered species and acknowledgement of environmental issues in other countries
  • Food Security Act

    Authorized assistance to reduce poverty and hunger in developing countries
  • Emergency Wetlands Resources Act

    Approved the Federal government’s purchase of wetlands for conservation
  • Montreal Protocol

    International treaty that phases out the production of substances in order to protect the ozone layer
  • Ocean Dumping Ban Act

    Banned ocean dumping of sewage sludge and industrial waste
  • Madrid Protocol

    International treaty that internationally registers protection under the jurisdiction of member countries
  • Environmental Education Act

    Provided national leadership for environmental literacy by the Environmental Protection Agency
  • Lacey Act

    Prohibited the trade of illegally handled wildlife, fish, and plants
  • Pollution Prevention Act

    Created national policies that prevented or reduced pollution from various sources
  • Waste Reduction Act

    Made national policies to prevented or reduced waste from various sources
  • California Desert Protection Act

    Established the Mojave National Preserve, and the Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks
  • Food Quality Protection Act

    Standardized the Environmental Protection Agency’s management of pesticide usage
  • Kyoto Protocol

    International treaty that commissioned the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions