Environmental Legislation Timeline

Compensation and liability Act

1980 BCE

This national law created a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries and provided broad Federal authority to respond directly to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances that may endanger public health or the environment.

Soil and Water Conservation Act

1977 BCE

The Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977 was put in place for the conservation, protection, and enhancement of soil, water, and related natural resources.

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act

1977 BCE

This National act is the primary federal law that regulates the environmental effects of coal mining in the United States. This act was put in place to control the effects of large mining operations in the United states.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

1976 BCE

This national law gives the EPA permission to control hazardous waste from the beginning to the end. This includes the transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. This law was put in place to further protect the environment from these harmful materials.

Safe Drinking Water Act

1974 BCE

The safe Drinking Water Act focuses on ensuring that public drinking water meets appropriate safety standards. The reason this act was enacted is because drinking water was becoming polluted and something had to be done.

Clean Water act

1972 BCE

This law was passed to help clean up the waters that had been contaminated by sewer systems and other discharges. The Clean Water Act establishes basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters.

Marine Mammal Protection Act

1972 BCE

This national act set aside marine mammals as untouchable and unapproachable. This act was implemented due to decline in mammal population from illegal hunting and trade.

Clean Air Act

1970 BCE

This law was put in place because the air quality was decreasing rapidly and something had to be done about it. The Clean Air Act is the federal law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources.

National Enviornmental Policy Act

1970 BCE

The National Environmental Policy Act is a national law that promotes the enhancement of the environment.
-Making decisions on permit applications
-Adopting federal land management actions
-Constructing highways and other publicly-owned facilities

Endangered Species Conservation Act

1969 BCE

This International Act created a list of endangered animals that were threatened worldwide. It also prohibited the importation from any foreign country any animal or in part, any product, or any egg belonging to a species on that list. This act was implemented because the illegal animal trade businesses was leading to the extinction of these animals.

Wilderness Act

1964 BCE

The National Wilderness Act protects nearly 110 million acres of wilderness areas from coast to coast. This act put 9.1 million acres of wild American lands into the National Wilderness Preservation System, protecting them as designated wilderness.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

1963 BCE

CITES is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. This act was put in place to restrict illegal animal trade.

Taylor Grazing Act

1934 BCE

The Taylor Grazing Act is a United States federal law that provides for the regulation of grazing on the public lands to improve rangeland conditions and regulate their use. This law was put in place to help regulate unlicensed over grazing.

Lacey Act

1900 BCE

The Lacey Act is a law in the United States that prohibits trade in wildlife, fish, and plants that have been illegally taken, possessed, transported, or sold. This act was put in place because this illegal business was making far too much money from this activity. (national)

Kyoto Protocol

Dec 11, 1997

The Kyoto Protocol is a national act that was passed due the United States high levels of emissions from over 150 years of industrial activity. The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations which commits its Parties by setting internationally binding emission reduction targets.