NRES 325 Final Review: Endangered Species & Environmental Law

What percentage of land in the US is federally owned?

30%

What are the four primary land management agencies in the US?

1. US Forest Service

2. Bureau of Land Management

3. Fish & Wildlife Service

4. National Park Service

What are some critiques of the Clean Water Act?

- The term "navigable waters" is vague and creates conflict

- States determine the 'use' of public waters

- It doesn't address the issue of nonpoint pollution

What are the primary goals of the four primary land management agencies?

1. US Forest Service: multiple use

2. Bureau of Land Management: multiple use

3. Fish & Wildlife Service: habitat

4. National Park Service: preservation of natural/cultural resources

What is the significance of article IV of the constitution?

It gives the federal government power to dispose of federal lands to states/individuals

What is the significance of the Land Ordinance in 1785?

It established the public land survey system by creating square townships (6x6 miles) with 36 sections (1x1 miles)

What is the significance of the Morrill Act of 1862?

It stole 30,000+ acres of western federal lands then granted it to states for the purpose of building public universities

What is the significance of the Homestead Act of 1862?

It granted federal lands to veterans

What is a conservation easement?

A voluntary, legal agreement between a landowner & land trust that allows the landowner to own, use, or sell the land but restricts certain property rights to protect conservation values

How much of state-led conservation across the US is funded by state hunting & fishing licenses?

~80%

What are some critiques of the Endangered Species Act?

- It is reactive: only protects species after they are listed

- Places burden of proof on property owners

- Has an individual focus on singular species rather than ecosystems

- Doesn't include incentives for private property owners

- Species can only be listed if it has advocates to petition for it

What are the actors of the Endangered Species Act?

FWS & NOAA

The EPA sets the national ambient air quality standards for what six major air pollutants?

1. Particulate matter

2. Ground level ozone

3. Carbon monoxide

4. Sulfur dioxide

5. Nitrogen oxide

6. Lead

What are some critiques of FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)?

- Flood maps may be outdated

- Grant funding is often unequally allocated

What is the significance of the Paris Agreement?

It is an international agreement on climate change with a goal to limit warming to 2C by the end of the century; each participating country must establish a voluntary nationally determined contribution (NDC) which is updated every 5 years

What is the purpose of Wildlife Action Plans?

Proactive plans to keep species off of the threatened & endangered list through habitat protection, restoration, & pollution reduction

What are some major tools utilized by major actors?

- Clean Water Act

- Clean Air Act

- Conservation easement

- Zoning

- Wildlife Action Plans

- Endangered Species Act

- 30X30 Executive Oder

- Local planning & education

What are some major actors that implement major policy tools?

- Federal land agencies: NPS, BLM, FWS, US Forest Service

- Federal & state EPA

- Municipal government

- Private landowners/industries

- President

- NRCS

- FEMA

- Stakeholder groups

- Congress

Why do air pollutants disproportionately affect minority communities?

The Home Owners Loan Corporation determined economic value of neighborhoods; their assessment involved placing neighborhoods with people of color as less valuable (AKA redlining)

What is the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)?

A program that allocates funds to communities that adopt & enforce floodplain management to reduce flood damages & produces flood maps to assess risks

How are major disasters determined in the US?

Determined by the president

What is the significance of the Inflation Reduction Act?

It is a bill passed by Congress which invests billions of dollars into clean energy & climate change mitigation; promises to reach for 50% in GHG reductions by 2030