Significant Environmental Laws
Environmental laws are combination of state and federal laws that are designed to safeguard or enhance environment.
Environmental laws covers air pollution, water pollution, hazardous waste and an endangered species of flora and fauna.Some of the most common and significant environmental laws are as follows:
Clean Air Act (CAA): Air is contaminated by carbon monoxide, particulates, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and hydrocarbons. These particulates or gases are largely released in air by moving vehicles or by industrial processes. Each of this particulates or gases poses great threat to human health and environment. Such pollutants also increase risk of respiratory and cardiac diseases among general population. At federal level, air pollution is controlled by Clean Air Act (CAA) and its amendment. This act directs the EPA to maintain the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) that is safe for human health and welfare.
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA): Like clean air, pure water is indispensable for survival of human and aquatic life. Humans need water for drinking, cooking, fishing and farming. Water is mainly contaminated by discharges of organic wastes produced by animals and humans, heated water, sediments, toxic chemical and other hazardous substances released from factories. This makes it unfit for humans and aquatic life. The FWPCA was designed to make water potable and safe for aquatic life. The act determines the water quality standards and directs the industries and human beings to implement the best possible technology before discharging contaminated water into waterways and streams. Later on, this FWPCA was superseded by Clean Water Act (CWA) in 1977.
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA): The FIFRA regulates the manufacture, storage, use, sale, disposal and discharge of hazardous and toxic substances. FIFRA states that no pesticide may be discharged into waterways without the approval of EPA. If the EPA official finds that the particular pesticide or insecticide may cause unreasonable adverse effect on human or aquatic life, such pesticide will not receive approval, and if possible, the EPA will ban the use of such pesticide or insecticide.
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Significant Environmental Laws
