U.S. environmental laws are mostly enforced and regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Federal environmental law is important, as some states do not have their own laws and are only regulated by the federal regulations.
Some of the biggest laws regulating environmental protection are outlined below:
The Clean Air Act (CAA), first enacted in 1970, is the comprehensive federal law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources. Public access to the Act is linked above, but it can also be found on Westlaw and Lexis.
The Clean Water Act (CWA), enacted in 1972, establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the U.S. and standards for quality of water. Public access to the Act is linked above, but it can also be found on Westlaw and Lexis.
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), enacted in 1976, gives the EPA authority to regulate and place restrictions on chemical substances. Public access to the Act is linked above, but it can also be found on Westlaw and Lexis.
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), enacted in 1976, gives the EPA authority to control hazardous waste. Public access to the Act is linked above, but it can also be found on Westlaw and Lexis.
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), enacted in 1980, provides a federal "superfund" to clean up hazardous-waste sites, accidents, spills, and other pollutants and contaminants that were released into the environment. Public access to the Act is linked above, but it can also be found on Westlaw and Lexis.
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), enacted in 1996, gives the EPA authority to regulate pesticide distribution, sale, and use. Public access to the Act is linked above, but it can also be found on Westlaw and Lexis.
There are several other Executive Orders and laws related to the regulation of environmental protection, but the ones above are some of the most controlling. For a list of other laws and executive orders, you can look to the EPA's website. This website also provides concise summaries of each law and could be a good starting place in environmental law research.
