government and the environment

National Park Service Act

Aug 25, 1916

An act passed by Woodrow Wilson that is an agency of the United States federal government that manages all U.S. national parks, many American national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations.

Soil Conservation Act

Feb 28, 1935

Signed by FDR. Allowed the government to pay farmers to reduce production so as to "conserve soil" and prevent erosion.

Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, Rodenticide Act

Jun 25, 1947

This act provides federal control of pesticide distribution, sale, and use.

Price-Anderson Act

Sep 2, 1957

First passed in 1957 and since renewed several times, which governs liability-related issues for all non-military nuclear facilities constructed in the United States before 2026.

Fish and Wildlife Act

Mar 10, 1958

Protects fish and wildlife when federal actions result in the control or modification of a natural stream or body of water.

Clean Air Act

Dec 17, 1963

Amendment to the Air Pollution Act that controls air pollution on a national level.

Wilderness Act

Sep 3, 1964

Signed into law by Lyndon B. Johnson. Written by Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society. It created the legal definition of wilderness in the United States, and protected 9.1 million acres (36,000 km²) of federal land.

Land and Water Conservation Act

Jan 1, 1965

The purposes of this Act are to assist in preserving, developing, and assuring accessibility to all citizens of the United States.

Water Quality Act

Jan 1, 1965

Protects surface and groundwater resources from pollution as a result of agriculture and silviculture (forestry) activities.

Water Resources Planning Act

Jul 22, 1965

Kyndon B. Johnson. Established water resources council composed of cabinet representatives to come up with adequate plans to handle the water demands throughout the U.S.

Species Conservation Act

Jan 1, 1966

Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and development untempered by adequate concern and conservation.

Freedom of Information Act

Jul 4, 1966

Allows for the full or partial disclosure of previously unreleased information and documents controlled by the United States government.

National Trails System Act

Oct 2, 1968

Promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation of the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the Nation.

National Environmental Policy Act

Feb 18, 1969

Promotes the enhancement of the environment and also established the President's Council on Environmental Quality. Henry M. Jackson.

Clean Water Act

Oct 18, 1972

The primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution.

Endangered Specias Act

Dec 28, 1973

By President Nixon. Repealed the Endangered Species Conservation Act of December 5, 1969. provides for the conservation of ecosystems upon which threatened and endangered species of fish, wildlife, and plants depend.

Renewable Resources Planning Act

Jan 1, 1974

Authorizes long-range planning by the United States Forest Service to ensure the future supply of forest resources while maintaining a quality environment.

Safe Drinking Water Act

Dec 16, 1974

Gerald Ford. Ensures the quality of Americans' drinking water.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

Jul 1, 1975

Became the only treaty to ensure that international trade in plants and animals does not threaten their survival in the wild.

National Forest Management Act

Jan 1, 1976

Governs the administration of national forests and was an amendment to the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, which called for the management of renewable resources on national forest lands.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

Oct 21, 1976

Protect human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal, to conserve energy and natural resources, to reduce the amount of waste generated, and to ensure that wastes are managed in an environmentally sound manner.

Marine Mammal Protection Act

Dec 21, 1976

Prohibits, with certain exceptions, the "take" of marine mammals in U.S. waters and by U.S. citizens on the high seas, and the importation of marine mammals and marine mammal products into the U.S.

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act

Aug 3, 1977

Lyndon B. Johnson. regulates the environmental effects of coal mining in the United States.

Energy Tax Act

Nov 9, 1978

Discourages the production and purchase of fuel-inefficient vehicles.

Low level Radioactive Policy Act

Jan 1, 1980

Established the legal and regulatory framework governing the disposal of low-level radioactive waste in the United States.

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act

Dec 11, 1980

Designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances.

Nuclear Waste Policy Act

Jan 7, 1982

Signed by Ronald Reagan. Created a timetable and procedure for establishing a permanent, underground repository for high-level radioactive waste by the mid-1990s, and provided for some temporary federal storage of waste, including spent fuel from civilian nuclear reactors.

Food Security Act

Dec 23, 1985

Allowed lower commodity price and income supports and established a dairy herd buyout program. signed into law by Ronald Raegan

Emergency Wetlands Resources Act

Nov 10, 1986

Passed by Ronald Raegan. Authorized the purchase of wetlands from Land and Water Conservation Fund monies and required the States to include wetlands in their Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plans.

Montreal Protocol

Jan 1, 1987

An international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances believed to be responsible for ozone depletion.

Ocean Dumping Ban Act

Jan 1, 1988

Prohibits all municipal sewage sludge and industrial waste dumping into the ocean after December 31, 1991.

Madrid Protocol

Jun 27, 1989

An international treaty that was adopted in 1989 to introduce new features into the system of the international registration of marks (the Madrid Agreement).

Pollution Prevention Act

Jan 1, 1990

Focused industry, government, and public attention on reducing the amount of pollution through cost-effective changes in production, operation, and raw materials use.

Waste Reduction Act

Jan 1, 1990

Defines, within England and Wales and Scotland, the fundamental structure and authority for waste management and control of emissions into the environment.

Lacey Act

May 25, 1990

Introduced into Congress by Rep. John F. Lacey and signed into law by President William McKinley. It protects both plants and wildlife by creating civil and criminal penalties for a wide array of violations.

Environmental Education Act

Nov 16, 1990

Established the Office of Environmental Education within the Environmental Protection Agency to develop and administer a Federal environmental education program.

California Desert Protection Act

Oct 8, 1994

Signed by Bill Clinton. Established the Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks and the Mojave National Preserve in the California desert.

Food Quality Protection Act

Aug 3, 1996

Signed into law by former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Manages the use of pesticides and amended the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act and the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Kyoto Protocol

Dec 11, 1997

An international treaty that sets binding obligations on industrialized countries to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.