Environmental Treaties & Legislation

Clean Air Act (CAA)

(1963) Law that set emission standards for cars and limited the release of air pollutants.

Clean Water Act (CWA)

(1972) Law that set maximum permissible amounts of water pollutants that can be discharged into waterways with the goal to make surface waters swimmable and fishable.

Comprehensive Environmental Response,

Compensation Liability Act (CERCLA)

(1980) Established federal authority for clean-up of hazardous substances that have been spilled or improperly disposed of; commonly known as the Superfund Act.

Convention on the International Trade in

Endangered Species (CITES)

(1973) Treaty facilitated by the United Nations that protects endangered species by banning the international transport of their body parts

Delaney Clause of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act

(1958) Amendment that prohibits carcinogenic food additives.

Endangered Species Act (ESA)

(1973) Identifies threatened and endangered species in the US, and puts their protection ahead of economic considerations

Kyoto Protocol

(2005) Agreement among 150 nations requiring greenhouse gas emission reduction in order to control global climate change. Signed but not ratified by the United States.

Montreal Protocol

(1987) International agreement to phase-out chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) and other ozone-depleting substances

Resource Conservation & Recovery Act

(RCRA)

(1976) Law for managing non-hazardous and hazardous solid waste through a cradle to grave system.

Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)

(1974) Set maximum contaminant levels for pollutants in drinking water that may have adverse effects on human health.