Environmental Environmental LawsLaws

Lacey Act (1900)Lacey Act (1900)

John F. Lacey

“Father of Conservation Legislation”

Lacey ActLacey Act Prohibited transportation of illegally Prohibited transportation of illegally

captured or prohibited animals across captured or prohibited animals across state linesstate lines

First law to protect wildlifeFirst law to protect wildlife

Now mostly used to prevent the spread of Now mostly used to prevent the spread of potentially dangerous non-native invasive potentially dangerous non-native invasive speciesspecies

Superfund (1980)Superfund (1980) Provides for the EPA’s cleanup of Provides for the EPA’s cleanup of

illegal toxic waste dump sites such as illegal toxic waste dump sites such as Love Canal and Times Beach Love Canal and Times Beach

Fines the people/companies for the Fines the people/companies for the spill and clean upspill and clean up

Clean Air Act (1963)Clean Air Act (1963) regulated air emissions from area, regulated air emissions from area,

stationary, and mobile sourcesstationary, and mobile sources

authorized the U.S. Environmental authorized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to establish Protection Agency to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)(NAAQS)

Clean Water Act (1977)Clean Water Act (1977)

gave EPA the authority to set standards gave EPA the authority to set standards for industryfor industry

made it unlawful for any person to made it unlawful for any person to discharge any pollutant from a point discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters unless a source into navigable waters unless a permit (NPDES) is obtainedpermit (NPDES) is obtained

Endangered Species Act Endangered Species Act (1973)(1973)

provided a program for the provided a program for the conservation of threatened and conservation of threatened and endangered plants and animals and endangered plants and animals and their habitats their habitats

prohibits killing, harming habitat, or prohibits killing, harming habitat, or transporting any endangered transporting any endangered speciesspecies

National Environmental National Environmental Policy Act (1970)Policy Act (1970)

one of the first laws written to protect one of the first laws written to protect the environmentthe environment

says that all government branches says that all government branches give proper consideration to the give proper consideration to the environment before undertaking any environment before undertaking any federal actionsfederal actions

CITES- CITES- Convention on International Convention on International Trade in Endangered Trade in Endangered Species (1975)Species (1975) an international agreement between an international agreement between

governmentsgovernments

ensures that trade of wild animals does ensures that trade of wild animals does not threaten their survivalnot threaten their survival

only 1 species has become extinct since only 1 species has become extinct since 19751975

Montreal Protocol (1989)Montreal Protocol (1989)

treaty designed to protect the ozone treaty designed to protect the ozone layerlayer

phased out ozone depleting phased out ozone depleting substances, such as CFC’ssubstances, such as CFC’s

Kyoto Protocol (1997)Kyoto Protocol (1997)

designed to reduce climate changedesigned to reduce climate change

reduces the amount of carbon reduces the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from signing dioxide emissions from signing countriescountries

Wilderness Act (1964)Wilderness Act (1964)

created the National Wilderness created the National Wilderness Preservation SystemPreservation System

defined wilderness in Americadefined wilderness in America

signed by LBJ in 1964signed by LBJ in 1964

National Forest National Forest Management Act (1976) Management Act (1976)

first legislation that discussed the first legislation that discussed the administration of national forestsadministration of national forests

called for the management of called for the management of renewable resources on national renewable resources on national forest landforest land

The World Conservation The World Conservation Union Union

encourages conservation and encourages conservation and sustainable use of natural resourcessustainable use of natural resources

UN Conference on UN Conference on Environment and Environment and Development (The Earth Development (The Earth Summit) Summit)

Held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992Held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 Produced Agenda 21 and the Rio Produced Agenda 21 and the Rio

Declaration (Earth Charter) Declaration (Earth Charter) Outlined policies for sustainable Outlined policies for sustainable

developmentdevelopment

Rio Declaration Rio Declaration 27 principals designed to guide future 27 principals designed to guide future

sustainable development around the sustainable development around the world world

Intergovernmental Panel Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on Climate Change (IPCC)

group of scientists studying climate group of scientists studying climate change and its causeschange and its causes

Law of the Sea Law of the Sea addresses ocean pollution problems addresses ocean pollution problems

Cartagena Protocol on Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety Biosafety

agreement addressing the transport and agreement addressing the transport and use of genetically modified organisms use of genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) (GMO’s)

Resource Conservation Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and Recovery Act

Allows EPA to identify hazardous waste Allows EPA to identify hazardous waste and set standards for their managementand set standards for their management

Said that firms have to have permits Said that firms have to have permits stating how waste is being managed, stating how waste is being managed, from manufacture to disposalfrom manufacture to disposal

Surface Mining and Surface Mining and Reclamation Act Reclamation Act

requires mining companies to restore the requires mining companies to restore the land so it can be used for the same land so it can be used for the same purpose as before it was mined purpose as before it was mined

John Muir (1838 – 1914) John Muir (1838 – 1914) patron saint of the American wildernesspatron saint of the American wilderness founded the Sierra Club founded the Sierra Club got Yosemite to be named a National got Yosemite to be named a National

ParkPark

Rachel Carson (1907- Rachel Carson (1907- 1964) 1964)

Wrote Wrote The Silent SpringThe Silent Spring to bring to bring awareness to the hazards of DDT. The awareness to the hazards of DDT. The book is considered the beginning of the book is considered the beginning of the modern environmental movement modern environmental movement

Garrett Hardin (1915 – Garrett Hardin (1915 – 2003) 2003)

Came up with the idea of the “Tragedy of Came up with the idea of the “Tragedy of the Commons” which greatly impacted the Commons” which greatly impacted the management of renewable resourcesthe management of renewable resources

Case Study #1Case Study #1 The African Elephant is an endangered The African Elephant is an endangered

species which lives in Africa. They have species which lives in Africa. They have become endangered because of the become endangered because of the trading of their tusks. Name 2 acts that trading of their tusks. Name 2 acts that now protect the African Elephant and tell now protect the African Elephant and tell me how these acts protect them. me how these acts protect them.

Case Study #2Case Study #2 A rural farm gets its water from a nearby A rural farm gets its water from a nearby

well. The water in the well is from a well. The water in the well is from a stream. The fertilizer runoff from the farm stream. The fertilizer runoff from the farm often ends up in the well water. What 1 often ends up in the well water. What 1 acts should be protecting the farmer and acts should be protecting the farmer and his family from the fertilizer pollution? his family from the fertilizer pollution?

Case Study #3Case Study #3 The government wants to build a new The government wants to build a new

building for its CIA. What 2 acts can/will building for its CIA. What 2 acts can/will have an effect on their plans? Explain!have an effect on their plans? Explain!