Timeline of Legislation

Color Code

Jan 1, 1890

Blue - Air
Green - Land
Yellow - Energy
Red - BIodiversity

Forest Reserve Act of 1891

Mar 3, 1891

A law that allowed the President to be able to set aside land for forest reserves from public demand.

Lacey Act

May 25, 1900

United States law that bans trafficking in illegal wildlife.

Antiquities Act

Jun 8, 1906

Gives the President of the United States the authority to, by presidential proclamation, create national monuments from federal lands to protect significant natural, cultural, or scientific features.

Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act

Apr 26, 1910

Federal law that set up the basic U.S. system of pesticide regulation to protect applicators, consumers, and the environment.

National Park Service Act

Aug 25, 1916

United States federal law that established the National Park Service (NPS), an agency of the United States Department of the Interior.

Migratory Bird Act

Jul 13, 1918

Made it illegal for anyone to take, possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, purchase, or barter, any migratory bird, or the parts, nests, or eggs of such a bird except under the terms of a valid permit issued pursuant to Federal regulations.

Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act

Mar 16, 1934

Requires each waterfowl hunter 16 years of age or older to possess a valid Federal hunting stamp.

Taylor Grazing Act

Jun 28, 1934

United States federal law that provides for the regulation of grazing on the public lands (excluding Alaska) to improve rangeland conditions and regulate their use.

Soil Conservation Act of 1935

Apr 27, 1935

An act to help soil conservation and preserve natural resources. It aimed towards improving public help and relieve unemployment.

Water Pollution Control Act

Aug 12, 1948

Authorized the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service, in cooperation with other Federal, state and local entities, to prepare comprehensive programs for eliminating or reducing the pollution of interstate waters and tributaries and improving the sanitary condition of surface and underground waters.

International Union for the Conservation of Nature

Oct 5, 1948

Vision of a world that values and conserves nature. Has a list of threatened species.

Price-Anderson Act

Sep 2, 1957

Limits the amount of insurance nuclear power plant owners must carry and caps their liability in the event of a catastrophic accident or attack at dollar amounts that fall far, far short of the actual financial consequences that could be incurred.

Wilderness Act

Sep 3, 1964

Created the National Wilderness Preservation System and recognized wilderness as “an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”

Land and Water Conservation Act

Jan 1, 1965

The Land and Water Conservation Fund was established by Congress in 1964 to fulfill a bipartisan commitment to safeguard our natural areas, water resources and cultural heritage, and to provide recreation opportunities to all Americans. Using zero taxpayer dollars, the fund invests earnings from offshore oil and gas leasing to help strengthen communities, preserve our history and protect our national endowment of lands and waters.

Resource Recovery Act

Oct 26, 1970

Established a major research program, run by the EPA, to develop new and innovative ways of dealing with solid waste.

Clean Water Act

Oct 18, 1972

Primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. Its objective is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters by preventing point and nonpoint pollution sources, providing assistance to publicly owned treatment works for the improvement of wastewater treatment, and maintaining the integrity of wetlands.

Marine Mammal Protection Act

Dec 21, 1972

Prohibits the killing of all marine mammals in the US and prohibits the import or export of any marine mammal body parts.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

Mar 3, 1973

Controls the international trade of threatened plants and animals.

Endangered Species Act of 1973

Dec 28, 1973

Serves as the enacting legislation to carry out the provisions outlined in The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and development untempered by adequate concern and conservation."

Safe Drinking Water Act

Dec 16, 1974

Protects public drinking water supplies throughout the nation. Under the SDWA, EPA sets standards for drinking water quality and with its partners implements various technical and financial programs to ensure drinking water safety.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

Oct 21, 1976

The principal federal law in the United States governing the disposal of solid waste and hazardous waste.

Comprehensive Environment Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980

Dec 11, 1980

CERCLA or Superfund provides a Federal "Superfund" to clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous-waste sites as well as accidents, spills, and other emergency releases of pollutants and contaminants into the environment.

Clean Air Act

Nov 15, 1990

United States federal law designed to control air pollution on a national level.

Convention on Biological Diversity

Jun 5, 1992

Established a treaty to protect biodiversity.
1. Conservation
2. Sustainable Use
3. Equitably share the benefits that emerge from the commercial use of resources