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Modern environmental policy in the United States began in the 1960s. Around this time, the environmental movement started to put pressure on the federal government to actively protect the country’s resources and preserve the world’s ecosystems.

The National Environmental Policy Act

After an oil well exploded off the California coast in 1969, Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act, a very important law in the history of environmental policy. The law required all federal agencies to conduct an environmental impact statement before taking any action that could affect the environment. The act also created the Council on Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Other Key Environmental Laws

Since the National Environmental Policy Act, Congress has passed other laws regulating pollution and cleaning up the environment, as explained in the table on the next page.

Environmentalism Versus Growth

Environmental policy must balance the needs of the environment with the need for a strong economy. Critics of environmental policies claim that EPA regulations hurt the economy by limiting growth. Businesses spend time and money complying with these laws, which hurts their efficiency and decreases their profit margins. Smaller profits, in turn, mean fewer jobs. Environmentalists reject these claims, arguing that a healthy environment trumps all other economic considerations.

 
IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS SINCE 1970

Law

Date

Purpose/Impact

Clean Air Act Amendments1970Restricted air pollution and authorized the EPA to enforce air quality standards
Clean Water Act1972Set goal of cleaning up waters by 1983
Federal Environmental Pesticide Act1972Banned the use of pesticides that are harmful to humans, animals, and crops
Clean Water Act1974Set federal standards for drinking water
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act1976Encouraged resource conservation and authorized federal control of hazardous waste
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act1980Established a “superfund” for cleaning up toxic waste
Clean Air Act Amendments1990Required reformulated gasoline to be used in large cities and reduced some gases
Food Quality and Protection Act1996Authorized the federal government to regulate the use of pesticides in food production
Chemical Safety Information, Site Security, and Fuels Regulatory Relief Act1999Regulated security and risk management plans at chemical and fuel plants
The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act2002Provided funds to clean up brownfields (environmentally damaged urban areas)
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