Question: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (1910)

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Question: Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act (1977)
Answer: as amended provides the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) broad strategic assessment and planning authority for the conservation, protection, and enhancement of soil, water, and related natural resources. Through RCA, USDA: appraises the status and trends of soil, water, and related resources on non-Federal land and assesses their capability to meet present and future demands; evaluates current and needed programs, policies, and authorities; and develops a national soil and water conservation program to give direction to USDA soil and water conservation activities.
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Question: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (1969)
Answer: This act was created to ensure federal agencies consider the environmental impacts of their actions and decisions. NEPA's most significant accomplishment was setting up procedural requirements for all federal government agencies to prepare environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and environmental impact statements (EISs). EIAs and EISs contain statements about the environmental effects of proposed federal agency actions.
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Question: Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (1968)
Answer: This act allows for congress to designate rivers or parts of rivers as protected areas. Selected rivers in the United States are preserved for possessing outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, or other similar values. Rivers, or sections of rivers, so designated are preserved in their free-flowing condition and are not dammed or otherwise impeded. National wild and scenic designation essentially vetoes the licensing of new hydropower projects on or directly affecting the river. It also provides very strong protection against bank and channel alterations that adversely affect river values, protects riverfront public lands from oil, gas and mineral development, and creates a federal reserved water right to protect flow-dependent values.
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Question: Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) (1972)
Answer: prevents the taking of marine mammals without proper authorization that must be given by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and prohibits exploitation, imports, exports, and sales of any marine mammals, parts, or products
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Question: Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA)
Answer: An act administered by NOAA providing for the management, protection, and restoration of US coastline, including the Great Lakes. To meet this goal, the act outlines three programs: the National Coastal Zone Management Program, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, and the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, which help to manage and control coastline development.
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Question: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
Answer: This federal law controls the disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes in the US, and is notable for allowing the EPA to regulate hazardous wastes from generation to storage or disposal, or "from cradle to grave". Amendments to the act were made in 1984 and 1986 that focused on minimizing waste and allowing the EPA to address environmental damage caused by storing hazardous substances, such as petroleum, underground.
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Question: Hazardous Materials Transportation Act
Answer: This acts' primary objective is to provide adequate protection against the risks to life and property inherent in the transportation of hazardous material in commerce by improving the regulatory and enforcement authority of the Secretary of Transportation. A hazardous material, as defined by the Secretary of Transportation is, any "particular quantity or form" of a material that "may pose an unreasonable risk to health and safety or property.
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Question: Federal Water Pollution Control Act: (1948)
Answer: The first major law to address the problems of water pollution in the United States and it was not very effective. It gave the federal government limited ability to require reduction in pollution, only allowing them to control interstate waterways, and giving them limited enforcement methods. It was completely rewritten in 1972 into the Clean Water Act.
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Question: Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)
Answer: An amendment to CERCLA, SARA increased State involvement in the Superfund program, stressed the importance of finding permanent solutions in cleaning up hazardous waste sites, and required Superfund actions to consider the standards and requirements found in other laws and regulations. It also increased the focus on human health problems caused by hazardous waste sites.
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Question: Food Securities Act (1985)
Answer: This act allowed lower commodity prices and income supports, established a dairy herd buyout program, and contained provisions designed to discourage the conversion of wetlands into non-wetland areas.
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Question: Kyoto Protocol
Answer: An international treaty designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by setting binding targets for the nations that participated. The first commitment period ran from 2005 - 2012, and called for a total 5% reduction in emissions. The Doha Agreement extended the Kyoto Protocol for a second commitment period that will run from 2013 - 2020 and call for an 18% reduction in emissions.
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Question: Clean Water Act (CWA)
Answer: A law that protects bodies of water and wetlands by regulating pollution amounts and setting water quality standards. The objective of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, commonly referred to as the Clean Water Act (CWA), 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.
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Question: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
Answer: Also known as Superfund, this act 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. Over five years, $1.6 billion was collected and the tax went to a trust fund for cleaning up abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites.
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Question: Pollution Prevention Act
Answer: A law that prevents and reduces pollution by making pollution-reducing changes more economically beneficial for the government and businesses. The Pollution Prevention Act focused industry, government, and public attention on reducing the amount of pollution through cost-effective changes in production, operation, and raw materials use. Opportunities for source reduction are often not realized because of existing regulations, and the industrial resources required for compliance, focus on treatment and disposal
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Question: Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) (1974)
Answer: The main federal law that ensures the quality of Americans' drinking water. EPA sets standards for drinking water quality and oversees the states, localities, and water suppliers who implement those standards in order to protect public health by regulating the nation's public drinking water supply.
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Question: Food Drug Cosmetic Act and the Solid Waste Disposal Act (1938)
Answer: The FDCA was passed with the intention of ensuring the safety of foods, drugs, medicine, and cosmetics. It also regulates the labeling and packaging of foods, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics. Under this act, the FDA has the authority to adopt regulations dealing with food, drug, medical devices, and cosmetic safety. Subsequent amendments have given it the power to regulate food additives and require drug manufacturers to prove the safety and effectiveness of their drugs.
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Question: Solid Waste Disposal Act (1965)
Answer: This was the first federal effort to improve waste disposal. It was passed with the intention of regulating waste disposal in cities and towns, recognizing that solid waste management was, in the end, a local issue. It gave the EPA the responsibility of developing waste disposal standards. However, states and the cities within were supposed to be responsible for actually implementing and enforcing the regulations.
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Question: Ocean Dumping Ban Act (1988)
Answer: This federal act, protected by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), prohibited all municipal sewage sludge and industrial waste from being dumped into the oceans after December 31, 1991. This act amended several portions of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 in attempt to decrease the pollution within the oceans.
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Question: Wilderness Act: (1964)
Answer: The Wilderness Act created the National Wilderness Preservation System, which protects approximately 110 million acres of wilderness across the United States. This act also created the federal definition of wilderness and continues to help conserve important habitats and species.
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Question: Occupational Safety and Health Act
Answer: The primary federal law that was enacted to uphold safe and healthful working conditions for men and women. Enforcement of this act on the state level is primarily done by OSHA, while sanitations standards in the workplace are upheld by the US Department of Labor
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Question: Toxic Substances Control Act
Answer: (1976) This act gives the EPA authority to require reporting, record-keeping, and testing requirements for chemical substances. It also addresses the production, disposal, and importations of certain chemicals. This is so the EPA can regulate new chemicals before they are available on the market.
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Question: Endangered Species Act (ESA)
Answer: This act protects and recovers endangered species and the ecosystems upon which they depend. The purpose of ESA is to halt and reverse the trend toward species extinction, whatever the cost.
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Question: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (1910) Answer: This act gave the United States Department of Agriculture responsibility for regulating pesticides. In 1972, when FIFRA underwent a major revision, it transferred responsibility of pesticide regulation to the Environmental Protection Agency and shifted emphasis to protection of the environment and public health. Revision: "(1) strengthening the registration process by shifting the burden of proof to the chemical manufacturer, (2) enforcing compliance against banned and unregistered products,”Question: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (1910) Answer: This act gave the United States Department of Agriculture responsibility for regulating pesticides. In 1972, when FIFRA underwent a major revision, it transferred responsibility of pesticide regulation to the Environmental Protection Agency and shifted emphasis to protection of the environment and public health. Revision: "(1) strengthening the registration process by shifting the burden of proof to the chemical manufacturer, (2) enforcing compliance against banned and unregistered products, and (3) promulgating the regulatory framework missing from the original law" ================================================== Question: Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act (1977) Answer: as amended provides the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) broad strategic assessment and planning authority for the conservation, protection, and enhancement of soil, water, and related natural resources. Through RCA, USDA: appraises the status and trends of soil, water, and related resources on non-Federal land and assesses their capability to meet present and future demands; evaluates current and needed programs, policies, and authorities; and develops a national soil and water conservation program to give direction to USDA soil and water conservation activities. ================================================== Question: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (1969) Answer: This act was created to ensure federal agencies consider the environmental impacts of their actions and decisions. NEPA's most significant accomplishment was setting up procedural requirements for all federal government agencies to prepare environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and environmental impact statements (EISs). EIAs and EISs contain statements about the environmental effects of proposed federal agency actions. ================================================== Question: Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (1968) Answer: This act allows for congress to designate rivers or parts of rivers as protected areas. Selected rivers in the United States are preserved for possessing outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, or other similar values. Rivers, or sections of rivers, so designated are preserved in their free-flowing condition and are not dammed or otherwise impeded. National wild and scenic designation essentially vetoes the licensing of new hydropower projects on or directly affecting the river. It also provides very strong protection against bank and channel alterations that adversely affect river values, protects riverfront public lands from oil, gas and mineral development, and creates a federal reserved water right to protect flow-dependent values. ================================================== Question: Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) (1972) Answer: prevents the taking of marine mammals without proper authorization that must be given by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and prohibits exploitation, imports, exports, and sales of any marine mammals, parts, or products ================================================== Question: Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) Answer: An act administered by NOAA providing for the management, protection, and restoration of US coastline, including the Great Lakes. To meet this goal, the act outlines three programs: the National Coastal Zone Management Program, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, and the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, which help to manage and control coastline development. ================================================== Question: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Answer: This federal law controls the disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes in the US, and is notable for allowing the EPA to regulate hazardous wastes from generation to storage or disposal, or "from cradle to grave". Amendments to the act were made in 1984 and 1986 that focused on minimizing waste and allowing the EPA to address environmental damage caused by storing hazardous substances, such as petroleum, underground. ================================================== Question: Hazardous Materials Transportation Act Answer: This acts' primary objective is to provide adequate protection against the risks to life and property inherent in the transportation of hazardous material in commerce by improving the regulatory and enforcement authority of the Secretary of Transportation. A hazardous material, as defined by the Secretary of Transportation is, any "particular quantity or form" of a material that "may pose an unreasonable risk to health and safety or property. ================================================== Question: Federal Water Pollution Control Act: (1948) Answer: The first major law to address the problems of water pollution in the United States and it was not very effective. It gave the federal government limited ability to require reduction in pollution, only allowing them to control interstate waterways, and giving them limited enforcement methods. It was completely rewritten in 1972 into the Clean Water Act. ================================================== Question: Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Answer: An amendment to CERCLA, SARA increased State involvement in the Superfund program, stressed the importance of finding permanent solutions in cleaning up hazardous waste sites, and required Superfund actions to consider the standards and requirements found in other laws and regulations. It also increased the focus on human health problems caused by hazardous waste sites. ================================================== Question: Food Securities Act (1985) Answer: This act allowed lower commodity prices and income supports, established a dairy herd buyout program, and contained provisions designed to discourage the conversion of wetlands into non-wetland areas. ================================================== Question: Kyoto Protocol Answer: An international treaty designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by setting binding targets for the nations that participated. The first commitment period ran from 2005 - 2012, and called for a total 5% reduction in emissions. The Doha Agreement extended the Kyoto Protocol for a second commitment period that will run from 2013 - 2020 and call for an 18% reduction in emissions. ================================================== Question: Clean Water Act (CWA) Answer: A law that protects bodies of water and wetlands by regulating pollution amounts and setting water quality standards. The objective of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, commonly referred to as the Clean Water Act (CWA), 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. ================================================== Question: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Answer: Also known as Superfund, this act 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. Over five years, $1.6 billion was collected and the tax went to a trust fund for cleaning up abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. ================================================== Question: Pollution Prevention Act Answer: A law that prevents and reduces pollution by making pollution-reducing changes more economically beneficial for the government and businesses. The Pollution Prevention Act focused industry, government, and public attention on reducing the amount of pollution through cost-effective changes in production, operation, and raw materials use. Opportunities for source reduction are often not realized because of existing regulations, and the industrial resources required for compliance, focus on treatment and disposal ================================================== Question: Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) (1974) Answer: The main federal law that ensures the quality of Americans' drinking water. EPA sets standards for drinking water quality and oversees the states, localities, and water suppliers who implement those standards in order to protect public health by regulating the nation's public drinking water supply. ================================================== Question: Food Drug Cosmetic Act and the Solid Waste Disposal Act (1938) Answer: The FDCA was passed with the intention of ensuring the safety of foods, drugs, medicine, and cosmetics. It also regulates the labeling and packaging of foods, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics. Under this act, the FDA has the authority to adopt regulations dealing with food, drug, medical devices, and cosmetic safety. Subsequent amendments have given it the power to regulate food additives and require drug manufacturers to prove the safety and effectiveness of their drugs. ================================================== Question: Solid Waste Disposal Act (1965) Answer: This was the first federal effort to improve waste disposal. It was passed with the intention of regulating waste disposal in cities and towns, recognizing that solid waste management was, in the end, a local issue. It gave the EPA the responsibility of developing waste disposal standards. However, states and the cities within were supposed to be responsible for actually implementing and enforcing the regulations. ================================================== Question: Ocean Dumping Ban Act (1988) Answer: This federal act, protected by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), prohibited all municipal sewage sludge and industrial waste from being dumped into the oceans after December 31, 1991. This act amended several portions of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 in attempt to decrease the pollution within the oceans. ================================================== Question: Wilderness Act: (1964) Answer: The Wilderness Act created the National Wilderness Preservation System, which protects approximately 110 million acres of wilderness across the United States. This act also created the federal definition of wilderness and continues to help conserve important habitats and species. ================================================== Question: Occupational Safety and Health Act Answer: The primary federal law that was enacted to uphold safe and healthful working conditions for men and women. Enforcement of this act on the state level is primarily done by OSHA, while sanitations standards in the workplace are upheld by the US Department of Labor ================================================== Question: Toxic Substances Control Act Answer: (1976) This act gives the EPA authority to require reporting, record-keeping, and testing requirements for chemical substances. It also addresses the production, disposal, and importations of certain chemicals. This is so the EPA can regulate new chemicals before they are available on the market. ================================================== Question: Endangered Species Act (ESA) Answer: This act protects and recovers endangered species and the ecosystems upon which they depend. The purpose of ESA is to halt and reverse the trend toward species extinction, whatever the cost. ==================================================