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Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act 

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Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act 

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1. Full name of the environmental law:
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act
2. Date the law was passed, along with significant amendments
approved September 29, 1980
3. What event, series of events, or other circumstance prompted the
law's passing
The FWCA attempted to fill the gap left by these laws and provide measures to protect nongame species that were diminishing due to habitat loss from development and other environmental ills such as pollution. Congress recognized that people place many different values on wildlife resources, including ecological, cultural, scientific, and recreational values. Therefore, the FWCA took steps to protect species before they became imperiled and merited ESA protection.
4. In a paragraph, give a plain language explanation of what the
law does.
authorizes financial and technical assistance to the States for the development, revision, and implementation of conservation plans and programs for nongame fish and wildlife.
5. What is the state of the law today? Is it contentious? Is it working as
intended? Is it playing a key role in current environmental issues?
It is working as intended today, it is playing a key role in current environmental issues. People are following it.

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1. Nuclear Waste Policy Act; aka- Atomic Energy Act Amendments of 1981; Nuclear waste Policy Act of 1982.

2. Passed in January 7, 1983.

3. Nuclear waste, if not handled and disposed of properly, can be very hazardous to people.

4. According to the Department of Energy this law is, "An Act to provide for the development of repositories for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, to establish a program of research, development, and demonstration regarding the disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, and for other purposes.”

5.  The law is still active today, however the current administration is looking into where it (nuclear waste) should be stored. Nuclear waste is currently being stored in Yucca Mountain in New Mexico.

Meli Farahmand

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Lexi Oaks

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1. The Clean Air Act (CCA)

2. The Act was passed in 1963 and it was last amended in 1990 primarily to set new goals for achieving attainment of NAAQS since many areas of the country had failed to meet the deadlines. In 1990, they addressed acid rain, toxic pollutants, areas still not at regulation standards, and ozone layer depletion.

3. After the Donora smog event, one of the worst air pollution disasters in US history, more people became aware and concerned over industrial pollution. This tragic event eventually  led to the Clean Air Act in order for the state and federal agencies to regulate pollution.

4.      The Clean Air Act protects and enhances air quality in order to improve public health. It calls for states and the EPA to solve multiple air pollution problems through programs based on the latest science and technology information. By providing the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) the necessary tools, it helps to protect US citizens from harmful pollutants that can cause sickness and diseases.

5. Today, the Clean Air Act provides enormous air quality and health benefits. These benefits will grow over time as programs take their full effect. In 2020, the Clean Air Act Amendments will prevent over 230,000 early deaths.

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Emergency Planning & Community Right-to-Know Act

October 17, 1986

Amendments: Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA)

In a small village in India, early morning on December 3, 1984, a company manufacturing lethal pesticide, methyl isocyanate (MIC), accidentally let it out into the air. This killed upwards of 5000 people and injured around 50,000. Then again, on August 11, 1985, the same company accidentally leaked 500 gallons of aldicarb oxime and highly toxic MIC, sending 134 people to the hospital.

EPCRA is a law made to help local communities protect public health, safety, and the environment from chemical hazards. It was created to help communities plan for chemical emergencies. It also make industries report their storage, the use of and releasing of hazardous substances to the government.

This law is still being enforced by the government; the government requires that citizens be informed of toxic chemical releases in their area

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The National Environmental Policy Act was passed on January 1, 1970. There are no amendments to this act. During urban growth in the 1960s, people began to appreciate the beauty of nature. Some other major reasons the act was fought for was because of Rachel Carson's book, the Santa Barbara oil spill, and highway revolts.

The law is a national policy which will help balance the existence between man and environment; to promote efforts to rid damage to the environment and biosphere. It also helps people to understand their effect on resources.

NEPA establishes national environmental policy by making federal agencies to prepare for environmental impact. They must form statements to address reports  and make recommendations for funding from Congress. This impact statement is known as an EIS. These actions are specifically actions taken in the court of law as civil duties.

EPA covers a lot of federal agency actions, but the act does not apply to state action where there is no federal influence or funding. The NEPA is still active today, however, the current President wants to alter this act, or shut it down completely. California has its own version. Nationally, it is required to  identify the problem, but they don’t actually have to fix it

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1.       Affordable Clean Energy Rule (ACE)

2.       Proposed August 21, 2018

3.       President Trump’s Executive Order 13873 directed Federal agencies to review the Clean Power Plan. States feel disempowered to reduce greenhouse gas emissions because the energy is not modern, reliable, or affordable. The community must states must carry on environmental progress, while fulfilling Trump’s goal of energy dominance

4.       The proposal works to reduce GHG emissions and addresses the CO2 from the US’ power plants. It provides the “best system of emission reduction” for efficient power plants.  It grants states a list of “candidate technologies” which create standards of performance. By replacing the Clean Power Plan, the ACE would provide $400 million in annual benefits and reduce CO2 emissions in 2030 by 1.5%/

5.       The law is up for a 60-day proposal.  It will hold a public hearing this year.  Most likely, the rule will not pass because states will most likely sue.  The EPA actually acknowledges that the plan would increase carbon emissions.

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Izzy Dutra

1. Clean water Act

2. The basis of the CWA was enacted in 1948 and was called the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, but the Act was  reorganized and expanded in 1972. Throughout the years they’ve reorganized it in 1987 and 1990

3. The one established in 1948 was the first major law to address water pollution in the U.S. Growing awareness in 1972 about water pollution recognized the law more thoroughly.

4. The clean water act establishes the basic structure for regulating pollutant discharges into the waters in the U.S. It also gives the EPA the authority to implement pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry. It also makes it against the law for any person to discharge any pollution

5. This law is still continuous. It is working as intended because now people will face consequences if they break this law in any way. This law is still helping polluted water today. It is cleaning oil spills and polluted bodies of water.

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Elena Scarr
1. Global Warming Solutions Act (Assembly Bill 32)
2. Passed into law September 27, 2006
3. The issue of climate change was rising and rapidly incresing, calling the executive order to make change.
4.  AB 32 utilizes cap-and-trade and requires that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to develop regulations on companies and other machines increasing levels of greenhouse gases. The bill can also allow the Governor to suspend all emissions caps for an entire year in the case of an emergency dealing with intense economic harm.
5. In October of 2013, CARB and the Quebec Ministry of Sustainable Development linked their greenhouse gas cap-and-trade and as a result, greenhouse gas emission allowances form California and Quebec will be interchangeable. This represents the first multi-sector cap-and-trade program linkage in North America. However still, the entire country should be doing more to recognize the effect of greenhouse gases and the rapid increase they have collected over the years. California is hoping to scope their progress and meet a 2020 GHG emission reduction goal and focusing on key topic areas such as: transportation, waste, water, agriculture, energy generation, and natural and working lands.

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1. Full name of the environmental law

2. Date the law was passed, along with significant amendments

3. What event, series of events, or other circumstance prompted the

law's passing

4. In a paragraph, give a plain language explanation of what the

law does.

5. What is the state of the law today? Is it contentious? Is it working as

intended? Is it playing a key role in current environmental issues?