1. U.S. Environmental Policy

2. History of U.S. Environmental Policy:
The First Period (1780s to late-1800s)
Laws enacted during this period dealt primarily with management of public lands as the nation expanded west.
General feeling was that resources and land were in endless supply.
Long Lake in the Rocky Mountains, near Ward, CO

3. The Second Period (late 1800s to mid-1900s)
Policies sought to reduce environmental problems associated with westward expansion.
Led to the formation of national forest system and national park system

4. The Third Period (mid- to late-1900s)
Dense populations led to increasing pollution.
Fires on the Cuyahoga River raised environmental awareness.
Silent Spring, published in 1962, awakened the public to the dangers of industrial chemicals and DDT.

5. Laws from the first period primarily dealt with this: management of public lands as the nation expanded west.

6. Give 2 examples of things that raised public awareness during the third period. Silent Spring increased pollution fire on the Cuyahoga River

7. What 2 systems were created during the second period
What 2 systems were created during the second period? National Parks National forests

8. Modern U.S. Environmental Policy
National Environmental Policy Act: (1970)
Requires government agencies and contractors
to evaluate the environmental impact of a project;
led to the formation of the EPA
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
Responsible for monitoring, enforcing, and
researching environmental quality

9. Marine Mammal Protection Act: (1972)
Protects all marine mammals within the waters of the United States. Makes it illegal to harass, feed, hunt, capture, collect, or kill any marine mammal. 
Endangered Species Act: (1973)
Protects species that are endangered or threatened, and the ecosystems on which they depend.

10. Clean Water Act: (1977)
Regulates the discharge of industrial wastes into rivers
“Superfund” Act: (1980)
pays for the cleanup of the country's worst hazardous waste sites. 
There are currently 113 sites in NJ.