APES- Legislation

Environmental Policy and Legislation	Abbreviation and Date	Description
Clean Air Act	CAA December 17 1963	This act was created in order to limit air pollutants that were affecting American public health. Not only did it regulate emissions from various sources, but it also installed the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect Americans. It has since been amended twice to change the NAAQS as many states failed to meet the standards.
Clean Water Act	CWA October 18 1972	This act clarifies the basic rules for releasing pollutants into bodies of water and mandates a limit on the quality of surface water. It also made it illegal to dispense harmful pollutants into water without a permit.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora	CITES July 1 1975	184 independent parties agreed to regulate the trade of endangered species. This agreement mandated a series of permits and certificates be obtained in order to transport such species, thus ensuring the protection of over 30,000 species.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act	CERCLA December 11 1980	This act regulates hazardous material disposal and standardizes the handling of hazardous materials prior to disposal. It ensures accountability for those who handled, distributed, or utilized hazardous materials or their disposal sites. It also identifies liability for the costs of cleaning up hazardous materials.
Montreal Protocol	MP January 1 1989	A treaty created to help repair the ozone layer, the Montreal Protocol limits substances that can harm the ozone layer. It was put into place because the ozone layer was damaged and is integral due to the fact that it protects the Earth from ultraviolet radiation.
Kyoto Protocol	KP December 11 1997	This is a treaty that requires its signatories to limit greenhouse gasses, especially since global warming has been caused primarily due to human CO₂ emissions. It also mandates different responsibilities to different countries depending on the role they played in causing climate change.
Endangered Species Act	ESA December 27 1973	This act protects wildlife and plants that are or are about to be endangered. It creates a list of such species that is constantly being updated and also ensures recovery plans for designated endangered species.
Safe Drinking Water Act	SDWA December 16 1974	This act ensures that drinking water sources are kept clean, regulates tap water, and ensures public water systems comply with their standards.
Delaney Clause of Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act	The Delaney Clause 1958	It is an addendum to the FDA and prevents the FDA from labeling any cancer-causing ingredient as safe. It requires companies to eliminate ingredients with carcinogens in any product, whether used for humans or animals.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act	RCRA October 21 1976	This act gives the EPA control over hazardous materials’ creation, transportation, storage, and disposal. It also creates guidelines for the handling of waste sites both hazardous and non-hazardous.