Environment primarily refers to the ecological characteristics of an area but also used to refer social characteristics (quality of life), and economic characteristics (resource management)

Policy

• Principles reflecting the Constitution – do not change – although the Supreme Court’s interpretation does

• Practices/programs embodying those principles – change all the time

Environmental policy focuses on problems arising from human impact on the environment with particular emphasis on human health

Congress

Agency

Courts

LAW – PUBLIC POLICY

Legislation

Regulation

Legislative Mandate

Environmental Policy (Wikipedia)

Air QualityWater QualityWaste Management Wildlife – ecosystem, biodiversity, endangered species

Government instruments

• financial incentives to private sector participants– • carrots (tax exemptions, tradable permits)• big sticks (taxes, fees, prohibitions & penalties)• infrastructure (sewers, roads, airports)

• public information• risk assumption

Voluntary measures between private sector and governments

• bilateral agreements • commitments made by firms “independent” of government pressure • greener purchasing programs

Legislation – U.S. Code

TITLE 7 – AGRICULTURE

TITLE 16 - CONSERVATION

TITLE 21 - FOOD AND DRUGS

Legislation – U.S. Code

TITLE 22 - FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE

22 U.S.C. 274a - International Biological Program for the Earth's Ecology 22 U.S.C. 2151p - International Environmental and Natural Resources 22 U.S.C. 2151p-1 - Tropical Forests22 U.S.C. 2151q - Endangered Species

Legislation – U.S. Code

26 U.S.C. Chapter 38 - Environmental Taxes

Legislation – U.S. Code

TITLE 33 - NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS

33 U.S.C. Chapter 9 - Protection of Navigable Waters33 U.S.C. Chapter 26 - Clean Water Act 33 U.S.C. Chapter 27 - Ocean Dumping33 U.S.C. Chapter 33 - Prevention from Pollution from Ships 33 U.S.C. Chapter 40 - Oil Pollution

Legislation – U.S. Code

TITLE 42 - THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE

42 U.S.C. 300g-1 - National Drinking Water Regulations 42 U.S.C. Chapter 23 - Atomic Energy 42 U.S.C. Chapter 55 - National Environmental Policy 42 U.S.C. Chapter 65 - Noise Pollution 42 U.S.C. Chapter 73 - Energy Sources 42 U.S.C. Chapter 82 - Solid Waste Disposal 42 U.S.C. Chapter 85 - Clean Air Act42 U.S.C. Chapter 103 - Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and

Liability Act (CERCLA)

Access to Specific Legislation(Statutes at Large)

Laws and Regulations (EPA)Environmental Laws (Senate)Fish and Wildlife Service

Environmental Law InstituteU.S. Law & Policy (NRDC)Environmental Law: An Overview (Legal Information Institute)

Environmental Legislation, daily postings of reports relating to the environment authored by the Congressional Research Service (CQ Roll Call Group)

Code of Federal Regulations

All rules in the CFR have been published in the Federal Register

Title 7 - AgricultureTitle 10 - EnergyTitle 18 - Conservation of Power and Water ResourcesTitle 21 - Food and DrugsTitle 33 - Navigation and Navigable WatersTitle 40 - Protection of EnvironmentTitle 50 - Wildlife and Fisheries

Environmental Protection Agency

EPA A-Z Index

• Air• Asbestos

Office of Air and Radiation

The Clean Air Act gives EPA the authority to establish policy and promulgate regulations to protect air quality.

Air Toxics Rules and ImplementationClean Air Interstate RuleClean Air Mercury RuleDry Cleaning Rule Fuel Economy CalculationsNew Source Review PermitsOperating Permits ProgramOzone Depletion Regulations Phaseout of Ozone-Depleting Substances

Council on Environmental Quality

The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) coordinates Federal environmental efforts and works closely with agencies and other White House offices in the development of environmental policies and initiatives

CEQ was established within the Executive Office of the President by Congress by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)

Additional responsibilities were provided by the Environmental Quality Improvement Act of 1970

Environmental Law (Legal Information Institute)

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (Pub. L. 91–190, § 2, Jan. 1, 1970, 83 Stat. 852) along with the Environmental Quality Improvement Act (Pub. L. 91–224, title II, § 202, Apr. 3, 1970, 84 Stat. 114.) the National Environmental Education Act (Pub. L. 101–619, § 2, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3325)

42 USC 4371 et seq

The main objective of these federal statutes was to protect the environment against both public and private actions

The Environmental Impact Statement (Wikipedia)

Environmental Impact Statement Database (EPA)Environmental Impact Statements: Full-Text & Digests (ProQuest)

Environmental Impact Statement (FHWA)Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Effects of Oil and Gas Activities in the Arctic

Ocean (NOAA)

FutureGen Project Final Environmental Impact Statement (National Energy Technical Laboratory)

Cape Wind Energy Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Army Corps)Final Environmental Impact Statement Addendum: Agreement for the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit Project through the University of Minnesota , Twin Cities-Minneapolis Campus

(Metropolitan Council, October 2010)

Judicial Opinions

Supreme Court

U.S. Supreme Court: Recent Environmental Law DecisionsU.S. Supreme Court: Recent Natural Resource Decisions

Environmental Nonprofits

Natural Resources Defense CouncilResources for the FutureEnvironmental Defense Fund Worldwatch InstituteAmerican Farmland TrustNational Wildlife FederationIzaak Walton LeagueSierra ClubThe Wilderness SocietyUnion of Concerned Scientists

Clean Air etc.

Plain English Guide to the Clean Air Act

History of the Clean Air Act

The Clean Air Act defines EPA's responsibilities for protecting and improving the nation's air quality and the stratospheric ozone layer

The last major change in the law, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, was enacted by Congress in 1990

The Clean Air Act is incorporated into the United States Code as Title 42, Chapter 85.

Clean Air Act (EPA)

Climate Change

Regulatory Initiatives

Massachusetts V EPA 549 U.S. 497 (Cornell University)Supreme Court sends carbon regulation back to the EPA (ARS Technica)

In the majority view, the "EPA’s steadfast refusal to regulate greenhouse gas emissions presents a risk of harm to Massachusetts that is both 'actual' and 'imminent.'“ The EPA's Prudent Response to Massachusetts v. EPA (Heritage Foundation)

Massachusetts v. EPA, Ignored: One Year Later, Back to Court We Go (Warming Law blog)

Clean Air Act Permitting for Greenhouse Gases (EPA)

Clean Energy Initiatives

Energy & Environment (White House June 15, 2010)Department of Energy, Clean Coal & Natural Gas Power SystemsRecovery Plan Captures the Energy Opportunity (Center for American Progress)Clean Energy Group• Clean Energy FederalismClean coal (Wikipedia)Clean coal technology (Wikipedia)American Coalition for Clean Coal ElectricityCoal is Dirty

Excelsior EnergyDepartment of Energy <excelsior energy>

Other Atmospheric Concerns

Ozone and Chlorofluorocarbons Clean Air Act amendments of 1990. Title VI Pub. L. 101–549, title VI, Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2649 42 USC 7671 et seq.

Acid Rain Acid Precipitation Act of 1980. Title VII Pub. L. 96-294, June 30, 1980, 94 Stat. 770 (42 U.S.C. 8901 et seq.

Mercury Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act. Pub. L. 104-142, May 13, 1996, 110 Stat. 1329 (42 U.S.C. 14301 et seq.)

Indoor Air Quality• Carbon Monoxide• Radon Radon Gas and Indoor Air Quality Research Act of 1986. Title IV, Pub. L. 99-499, Oct. 17, 1986, 100

Stat. 1758 (42 U.S.C. 7401 note)• Volatile Organic Compounds• Second-hand Smoke• Asbestos Asbestos School Hazard Detection and Control Act of 1980 Pub. L. 96-270, June 14, 1980, 94 Stat.

487 (20 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.)• MoldLead in Paint, Dust, and Soil Lead Contamination Control Act of 1988Pub. L. 100-572, Oct. 31, 1988, 102 Stat.

2884 (42 U.S.C. 300j–21 et seq.)Clean Air Markets

Other “Air” Issues

Visibility Monitoring (NPS)• Prevention of Significant Deterioration o

f Air Quality (EPA)

• Visibility (EPA)

Scenery• Protecting Nature in the National Parks

(NPS)• Scenic America

Noise• EPA• Airport Noise • Metropolitan Airports Commission

Sunlight – access to sunlight

Wind – access to wind• American Wind Energy Associatio

n

Odor• National and International Odor Polic

y• Facts about Livestock Odor• 9 CFR 311.20 Sexual Odor of Swine

EPA

Endangered Species

Endangered Species Act Endangered Species Program

Notices of proposed and final listing decisions, critical habitat designations, recovery plans, policies, and other announcements issued by the Endangered Species Program national and regional offices from 1994 onward, can be found in the Fish & Wildlife Service's centralized library of Federal Register notices

Announcements soliciting public comment on permit applications can be found in the "Notices" section of each year

Proposed, reviewed policies, special rules, and listing actions are codified in the Code of Federal Regulations

Endangered Species Act Policies, Guidance, and Regulations (NOAA)Species Listed Under the ESA (NOAA)

50 CFR 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants

Endangered Species Act (National Wildlife Federation)

Superfund Sites

Cleaning up the Nation's Hazardous Wastes Sites (EPA)

Superfund Sites in Minnesota (MPCA)

St. Regis Paper Company Site

New Brighton/Arden Hills Superfund Site (a.k.a.Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant or TCAAP)