What Is Environmental Law?

Generally speaking, environmental law covers a wide range of issues related to the safety of chemicals, air pollution, and water quality. This includes the Clean Water Act, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), and International environmental law.

Clean Water Act

Until the Clean Water Act was passed, many rivers, lakes, and estuaries were polluted with toxic chemicals and waste. Poisonous pollutants can cause various health problems, including cancer, genetic mutations, and behavioral abnormalities.

The Clean Water Act established a national standard for the quality of water. It also set forth requirements for permits that govern discharges of pollutants. In a nutshell, an NPDES permit is required for shots into waters regulated under the Act. These regulations are typically administered by individual states, tribes, and territorial governments.

The Clean Water Act includes a “toxic hot spot” provision that directs the EPA to identify waters violating ambient water quality standards. Specifically, this rule mandated that states and point sources develop “individual control strategies” to help eliminate toxic pollutants.

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

NPDES is a program that regulates pollution discharged into water. It was established by the Clean Water Act (CWA). The program was created to protect water resources from damage due to polluted runoff.

NPDES permits are required when pollutants are discharged from certain facilities. They are issued to municipalities and industrial facilities. The permit will specify the monitoring and reporting requirements for a facility. These requirements are generally set out in a discharge monitoring report. The report is made available to the public by the permitting authority.

NPDES can improve water quality, which may help preserve essential wildlife habitats. It can also promote energy conservation by reducing the amount of water waste that is discharged into the environment. NPDES can be implemented through public education and illicit discharge detection.

Chemical safety laws

Occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) professionals should monitor several upcoming changes to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) chemical safety laws. These include updates to the Hazard Communication Standard, which could significantly impact workplace safety. In addition, the EPA’s ongoing risk evaluations of chemicals on the TSCA inventory may also affect workplace safety.

In the United States, various state-based chemical initiatives have been created to address the risks associated with hazardous materials. But this patchwork of state legislation often makes it difficult for businesses to conduct business effectively. As a result, the chemical industry has argued that a federal oversight system is needed to provide consistency.

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was created to ensure the environmental and human health effects of chemicals. This federal preemption law authorizes the EPA to restrict or prohibit the use of chemicals and ban them. The EPA is responsible for determining whether a chemical presents an unreasonable human or environmental health risk. It can do this by developing risk assessment tools and evaluating scientific data. Depending on the risk, the EPA can impose a restriction on a chemical, ban it or limit its manufacture.

Air pollution and quality laws

Whether air pollution and quality laws are implemented at the federal or state level, the goal is the same – to reduce airborne pollutants. However, the types of air pollution regulated may vary.

In the United States, air quality laws are enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA sets limits on airborne pollutants and develops regulations to protect the environment. They are also responsible for programs to protect the stratospheric ozone layer.

Common airborne pollutants include particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and ozone. These pollutants can cause damage to the human body, including increased respiratory symptoms, hospitalizations, and premature death.

The EPA reviews the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) at five-year intervals. After the EPA selects the proposed NAAQS, the Administrator publishes them. They are subject to public comment.

International environmental law

Using various legal tools, international environmental law seeks to safeguard the environment. It addresses various topics, from land and marine pollution to biodiversity and climate change. The most common focus is on pollution reduction, but it also includes issues such as nuclear damage, ozone depletion, and desertification.

In addition to the complexities of environmental issues, international ecological law requires cooperation between industrialized and developing countries. The Stockholm Declaration, for example, introduced the Principle of Cooperation, recognizing that “national interests should be combined with the needs of the environment, particularly in the context of sustainable development.”

In recent years, the United Nations General Assembly has reshaped how the world deals with the environment. First, it created the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the central body responsible for implementing a global environmental policy.