Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Abstract

Several major statutes form the legal basis for the programs of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Many of these have been amended several times. The current provisions of each are briefly summarized in this report. The Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) seeks to prevent pollution through reduced generation of pollutants at their point of origin. The Clean Air Act (CAA) requires EPA to set mobile source limits, ambient air quality standards, hazardous air pollutant emission standards, standards for new pollution sources, and significant deterioration requirements; and to focus on areas that do not attain standards. The Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes a sewage treatment construction grants program, and a regulatory and enforcement program for discharges of wastes into U.S. waters. Focusing on the regulation of the intentional disposal of materials into ocean waters and authorizing related research is the Ocean Dumping Act. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) establishes primary drinking water standards, regulates underground injection disposal practices, and establishes a groundwater control program.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 28, 2007
Accession Number
ADA468013

Entities

People

  • Claudia Copeland
  • James E. Mccarthy
  • Linda Luther
  • Linda-jo Schierow
  • Mark Reisch
  • Mary Tiemann
  • Susan R. Fletcher

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Chemistry
  • Dielectric Gases
  • Employment
  • Environment
  • Environmental Health
  • Environmental Protection
  • Environmental Restoration And Remediation
  • Health Services
  • Hygiene
  • Law
  • Material Degradation Processes
  • Materials Science
  • Materials Testing
  • Medical Personnel
  • Test Methods
  • Waste Disposal Facilities
  • Waste Products

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Environmental Engineering.