Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  Founded by U.S. government (under Richard Nixon) in 1970  William Ruckleshaus was first EPA administrator  a rational, organized approach to environmental legislation that would avoid “pendulum” effect

 Mission: to protect Americans from environmental risks/substances that could harm their health ex: lead, pesticides  How: regulates environmental laws passed by Congress

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)  Document that summarizes potential environment impacts on the environment for any proposed project  Offers alternatives to the project  Mandated by law for public/private projects

National Environmental Policy Act (1969)  Requires an EIS before any project affecting federal lands can be started  Ex: dam construction or financing a highway

 Oversees nearly 1/3 of land in the US  Oversees federal highway construction, flood/erosion control, and military projects

Clean Air Act (1970)  Authorizes EPA to set limits on air pollutants  Focus on 6 pollutants: (lead, particulate matter, SO 2, CO, O 3, N)  Most dramatic change since CAA of 1970 is reduction of lead  unleaded gas

 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) set for 6 principal pollutants  “Nonattainment” is when pollutants don’t meet standards

Clean Air Act Amendment (1990)  Required nation’s 111 dirtiest coal-burning power plants to cut SO 2 emissions  Offered incentives to convert to cleaner technologies,  Result: reduction of approx. 25% of total amount of SO 2 in the United States

Clean Water Act (1972)  Eliminates the release of high amounts of toxic substances into water stream  Later, clause added to ensure water meets standard necessary for human reaction

 Quite an impact on providing clean water for all types of species

Safe Drinking Water Act (1974)  Set maximum contaminant levels for pollutants in drinking water  Standards apply for both above ground and underground

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (1977)  Requires coal companies to restore areas that have been surfaced mine since 1977  Surface mined land prior to 1977 needs to be cleaned up gradually

 Coal mining prohibited in sensitive areas like national parks

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (1976)  Deals with the storage and disposal of hazardous waste  About 45% of solid waste was combusted for energy or recycling

Superfund Act (1980)  Cleans up abandoned and illegal hazardous waste sites  More than 400,000 waste sites in US are considered hazardous

 Superfund National Priorities list = federal govt. will assist in cleanup  1/3 of Americans live within 3 miles of a Superfund site

Pollution Prevention Act (1990)  Reduces generation of pollutants at point of origin  Reduce, reuse, recycle

 Requires manufactures to report their annual source reduction and recycling methods to EPA

Endangered Species Act (1973)  Protects critically endangered species from extinction

 Many species have recovered and have been removed off endangered species list

Marine Mammal Protection Act (1972)  Prohibits the “take” of certain marine mammals in US waters

CAFÉ Standards  Corporate Average Fuel Economy  To improve average fuel economy of automobiles

 1978: 18 mpg  2011: 30.2 mpg  2025 goal: 54.5 mpg

1. National Environmental Policy Act 2. Clean Air Act 3. Clean Water Act 4. Safe Drinking Water Act 5. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act 6. Resource Conversation and Recovery Act 7. Superfund Act 8. Pollution Prevention Act 9. Endangered Species Act 10. Marine Mammal Protection Act 11. CAFÉ Standards a) Coal companies to restore surface mined areas b) Reduces pollution at point of origin c) Allows EPA to set limits on air pollutants d) Protects endangered species from extinction e) Storage and disposal of hazardous waste f) Requires an EIS for federal construction projects g) Sets contaminant levels for pollutants in drinking water h) Prohibits the take of certain marine animals from US waters i) Calls for cleanup of hazardous waste sites j) Eliminates release of toxic substances into water stream k) Improves average fuel economy of vehicles

Answer Key: 1. F 2. C 3. J 4. G 5. A 6. E 7. I 8. B 9. D 10. H 11. K