1. What is the Oil Pollution Act?
Signed in to law in 1990, the Oil Pollution Act states that no ship can import
(Note: The Exxon Valdez oil spill was on March 24, 1989)
2. What is CERCLA?
CERCLA, the Superfund law, was passed in 1980 and provides federal cleanup for abandoned toxic waste sites that may pose health risks to communities.
3. What is the Convention on International T...
CITES - An international agreement drafted by members of the World Conservation Union to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
4. What is the Clean Air Act?
The 1962 Clean Air Act sets standards for 6 criteria air pollutants.
(Particulates, Sulfur Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Oxides, Ozone, Lead)
The Act was amended in '65, '70, '77, '90.
Note - click on 'Explanations' for more details.
5. What is the US Clean Water Act?
The US Clean Water became effective in 1972 and was amended in '77 and '87. This act aims to sharply reduce the number of direct pollutant discharges into waterways, finance municipal waste water treatment facilities, and manage polluted runoff.
6. What is the Endangered Species Act?
This act forbids Federal Agencies from authorizing, funding or carrying out actions which may "jeopardize the continued existence of" endangered or threatened species. It also prohibits killing endangered species.
8. What is the Kyoto Protocol?
In 1997, the amendment assigns mandatory emission limitations for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to the signatory nations.
The objective is the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Note - click 'Explanations' for more details.
9. What is the Montreal Protocol?
An international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of a number of substances believed to be responsible for ozone depletion.
10. What is the Madrid Protocol?
The Madrid Protocol regulates international relations with respect to Earth's only continent without a native population, Antarctica. It set aside Antarctica as a scientific reserve, established freedom of scientific investigation, and banned military activity on that continent.
