Legislation Summary

Clean Air Act

Aims to control air pollution and improve air quality by setting standards of emissions for industry, vehicles, and other sources.

Clean Water Act

Regulates water quality and the dumping of pollutants into waterways as point pollution.

Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)

Regulates the international trade of endangered species.

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

Created a superfund account for businesses to contribute to cleanup costs of contaminated sites, regulating their closure and cleanup.

Montreal Protocol

An international agreement to phase out CFCs and promote the use of HCFCs, eventually banning CFCs to repair the ozone layer.

Kyoto Protocol

An international agreement aimed at lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

Endangered Species Act

A US law designed to protect at-risk species by providing overwhelming protection from extinction for species on the Endangered Species List.

Safe Drinking Water Act

Regulates drinking water quality in the USA, aiming to ensure safe drinking water.

Delaney Clause

Part of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act that bans cancer-causing additives in food.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Regulates hazardous waste management and creates a 'cradle to grave' monitoring system, also overseeing sanitary landfills.