MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND TREATIES

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. IT WAS AMENDED IN 1987 AND 1009 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.

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ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT 1973

• DESIGNED TO PROTECT AND RECOVER ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES OF FISH, WILDLIFE AND PLANTS IN THEU.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 O THE PUBLIC AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND PROVIDES FOR THE RESTORATION OF ABANDONED MINES BACK TO BENEFICIAL USE

EMERGENCY PLANNING AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-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 FOM 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 WARNINGSPotato 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.

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 N UCLEAR 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 NATIIONS CONFERENCE IN RIO 1992