How the US Protects Us, And Our Environment!

Protecting our planet is one of our most important tasks as its inhabitants. And as citizens, we expect our government to do so as well. Listed below are four laws that the US has put in place to protect our environment.

1.     Clean Air Act: Originally enacted in 1963, the Clean Air Act or CAA was put in place to control air pollution by regulating emissions of certain common pollutants. It gives power to the Environmental Protection Agency to set National Ambient Air Quality standards to protect not only the planet and its environment, but public health as well.

2.     Clean Water Act: First passed in 1972, the CWA focused on restoring, and now maintaining the nation’s water quality and integrity. It allows the EPA to regulate the discharge of pollutants and other harmful chemicals into waters.

3.     Endangered Species Act: Enacted in 1973, the ESA was designed to recover threatened and endangered species of both plants and animals. It also aims to protect their ecosystems (i.e. Forests, coral reefs, lakes, etc.). It is administrated and controlled by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as well as the National Marine Fisheries Service.

4.     Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act: More commonly known as the Superfund, this act was enacted in 1980. It provides a federal fund to clean up abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste. This law granted the EPA authority and jurisdiction to respond to releases or threats to release hazardous substances. The EPA also has to hold the people making these threats/ releasing the hazardous waste accountable for the costs of the cleanup and recovery.

These 4 acts have been, and continue to be, crucial to keeping us and our planet safe by protecting the environment.