...Contents…………………………………………………………………………..Page 1 Abstract…………………………………...……………………………………………………...2 History of the Clean Water Act..……………………………………………………...…………3 The Purpose and Intent of the Clean Water Act……………………….…......………………….5 Summary of the Clean Water Act...........................................................................................…. .5 How the Clean Water Act affects Businesses………………………………………..…………..6 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………...…………………..10 References……………………………………………………………………………………….11 Appendix Case Study …………………………………………………………………………...………..7 Abstract This paper was written with the attempt to educate the reader on the inception and brief history of “clean water act of 1972”. Before this important law companies used our waterways as liquid landfills. This law was one of many that was desperately needed to help make America a better place for generations to come. Antonio Hines Environmental Science November 3, 2014 The Clean Water Act of 1972 History of the Clean Water Act Dead fish floating in our river ways and different wildlife lying on the banks of our streams was common place in the early 60’s. In Ohio, the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland was so polluted that it caught fire – for the tenth time! Time Magazine reported that Lake Erie was dying from all the waste dumped into it. Saint Louis took its drinking water from the muddy Missouri River because it had gotten to the point that no one wanted to eat or drink from the Mississippi...
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...SUMMARY OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT 33 U.S.C. §1251 et seq. (1972) The Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters. The basis of the CWA was enacted in 1948 and was called the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, but the Act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972. "Clean Water Act" became the Act's common name with amendments in 1972. Under the CWA, EPA has implemented pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry. We have also set water quality standards for all contaminants in surface waters. The CWA made it unlawful to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters, unless a permit was obtained. EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls discharges. Point sources are discrete conveyances such as pipes or man-made ditches. Individual homes that are connected to a municipal system, use a septic system, or do not have a surface discharge do not need an NPDES permit; however, industrial, municipal, and other facilities must obtain permits if their discharges go directly to surface waters. HISTORY OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948 was the first major U.S. law to address water pollution. Growing public awareness and concern for controlling water pollution led to sweeping amendments in 1972. As amended...
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...Facts: Prosecution for acts that affect the environment received little attention until recently. However. as governments have become more concerned with the protection of the quality of water, land, and air, regulations and laws have increased. While laws containing overlapping civil, criminal, and administrative penalty provisions have originated in both the federal and legislatures, the federal government has taken the lead in controlling acts relating to the environment. In fact. in the last 40 years, environmental laws have increased in number, length, and complexity. 1. The Clean Air Act (CAA) A) The Clean Air Act (CAA) imposes penalties on those who knowingly violate federal or state regulations designed to achieve ambient air quality standards. This is considered a federal enforcement for the fact that air pollution often crossed state lines and pollution would exist in two states at a time. The EPA prescribed national air quality is set for states to follow although the state is free to set stricter guidelines. A violation of the CAA comes when a state source emits more pollution than aloud by regulation. 2. Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) A) The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was designed to regulate levels of harmful contaminants in public water systems and the underground injections of contaminants into ground water that supplies public drinking water. Again the EPA establishes the regulations for the SDWA and failure to comply with the regulations could lead to...
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... As non-point and point source pollution are gradually becoming equal distributors of pollutants in surface waters it’s becoming clear that point source pollutions need to be better regulated and non-point sources need to become regulated. The most potent pollutant in Lake Erie is soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), Most likely the phosphorus is coming from non-point sources due to agriculture and other point source pollutions. The use of fertilizer on farms contains high levels of phosphorus that run off into ditches and streams that end up in the lake. Non-point source pollution can be an ambiguous...
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...LeBlanc, Simply Green Products Risk Manager SUBJECT : SafePack Materials Pollute Environmental Group Mr. Howard, I have been charged with giving you the most advantageous and knowledgeable information so you will be able to make the best and most informative decision on whether to get legal counsel involved. I will answer three main questions and give you the most up to date information that you will need to make the best decision. 1.The Environmental Group is stating that we are in violation of Clean Water Act and Solid Waste Disposal Act. The elements that must be present in order for one to prove a valid claim under the law(s) specified under the Clean Water Act according to the Bureau of Energy Management “The CWA made it unlawful for any person to discharge any pollutant from a point source into waters of the United States, unless a NPDES permit was obtained under its provisions.” 2.To be in violation of the solid Waste Disposal Act there are seven elements that have to be met According to Cornell Law there are seven elements under 42 U.S. Code Chapter 82, Subchapter III - HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT sub section 6928 in brief it states that a person cannot knowingly treats, stores, or disposes of any hazardous waste identified or listed under this subchapter, knowingly omits material information or makes any false material statement or representation in any application, label, manifest, record, report, permit, or other document filed, maintained...
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...accumulate vegetable food Effectiveness of Environmental laws In the wake of elevated concern about environmental pollution, for the first time in the world history as many as 20 million Americans which included students from over 2000 colleges and universities, roughly 10,000 secondary and primary schools and hundreds of communities from around the country participated and celebrated the first Earth Day demanding cleaner and healthier environment . This day today holds such a great importance to the world today that it is the largest secular holiday in the world celebrated across 192 countries. The United States in the spirit of the movement created The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The main objective of EPA was to clean up the already done damage to the environment and establishing guidelines to make cleaner and safer environment for the Americans. EPA was given responsibility to maintain and enforce national standards to various environmental laws in consultation with state and local governments. It conducts environmental research, assessment and education...
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...Business Regulation Simulation University of Phoenix Alumina Inc. is a $4 billion aluminum maker based in the United States (U.S.) and operates in eight other countries around the world. The company has business interests in automotive components and the manufacture of packaging materials, bauxite mining, alumina refining, and aluminum smelting (University of Phoenix, 2008). The U.S. market constitutes 70% of the company’s sales. A crisis has arisen from allegations of environmental damages which have led to a person’s illness (University of Phoenix, 2008). This paper will identify key facts, regulations, and legal issues; identify several of Alumina’s values and stakeholders; identify conflicts which constitute ethical dilemmas; summarize legal counsel’s advice on the issues; and evaluate alternative solutions in the context of Alumina’s legal position. Key Facts, Regulations and Legal Issues Five years ago, a routine EPA compliance inspection revealed higher than acceptable levels of a carcinogenic substance, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), to which Alumina promptly responded with a cleanup. The subsequent environmental audit reported the violation as corrected and the company has maintained a good compliance record since then (University of Phoenix, 2008). Alumina has made every effort to be compliant with environmental regulations. Administering environmental laws at the federal level is the Environmental Protection Agency. Since many of the laws provide...
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...The Oceans Act of 2000 Before the year 2000, the numerous organizations responsible for maintaining the coastal waters of the United States were accomplishing next to nothing. The combination of federal, state, and local agencies had overlapping jurisdictions that were clashing at every corner. The National Ocean Protection Act was presented to Congress to help preserve and improve coastal waters and lessen the confusion between organizations (Froelich 224). Though the bill was shot down by several groups, whose interests were put at risk, it helped bring the ocean to the forefront of policy concern. Outrage sparked by refusal to pass the “American Oceans act”, coupled with strong personal concern for our coastal waters, motivated Senator Ernest Hollings of South Carolina to speak up on the matter. He began lobbying for a bill which would establish a federal Commission to make recommendations about coordinating national ocean policy (Helvarg 24). His intent was to change the government’s focus on our coastal waters, as only 1% of the biotechnology research and development (R&D) budget was intended for marine-life and less than 4% of the total federal R&D budget went to ocean related research (Froelich 224). Ellison’s progress on his bill, entitled Oceans Act of 2000, was slowed by the concern of special interest groups. The American Petroleum Institute, US Navy Officials, the shipping industry, and others who conduct business in coastal waters, opposed the legislation...
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...The Clean Water Acts was created to regulate and prevent pollutant discharges into the water of the United States. The Clean Water Act made against the law for industries to discharge pollutants into the water without a permit by the EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Although the CWA is meant to prevent pollutant discharges in the water, it seems to have some loopholes in some of their regulations. Mines industries had been taken advantage of two loopholes in the Clean Water Act, according to Targeting News Service: Under the new rule, wetlands, ponds and other small water bodies can only be protected if they are within 4,000 feet of a stream or river. However, if a wetland is just one foot over the arbitrary 4,000-foot...
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...386 (5th Cir. 1996) Facts: Shortly after Mr. Ahmad (defendant) purchased the Spin-N-Market (combination gas and convenience store) in 1992, he discovered a leak in one of the high octane gasoline tanks which allowed water to enter the tank. Due to the contamination Ahmad was unable to sell the gas. Since water is heavier than gas, water sank into the bottom of the tank. 800 gallons of water was contaminated. Ahmad hired a CTT Environmental services (tank-testing company) to examine the leak. The leak could not be repaired until the tank was completely empty. The total repair cost estimated by CTT was expensive and Ahmad wanted to do the job by himself despite knowing it was illegal and hazardous....
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...to a reduction of some natural resources, leaving the environment forever broken. One example of this destruction is deforestation. Deforestation occurs when the forest trees are cut-down for use in production (The Industrial Revolution and its Impact on Our Environment. n.d.). When the trees are cut, the wildlife in the forest also becomes displaced. Carbon emissions is another issue because of the lack of trees. Forests could actually help produce oxygen and refresh the levels of healthy gases in the air. Factories on the other hand, are releasing toxic emissions and destroying the source of oxygen (The Industrial Revolution and its Impact on Our Environment. n.d.). The pollution from factories effects the air, land, and pollutes the water as well. Global warming is a primary issue from pollution and carbon emissions. As the temperature increases, the glaciers are dissolving away, even the oceans are escalating. Global warming even effects animal species by endangering them and some may become extinct. (The Industrial Revolution and its Impact on Our Environment. n.d.). Air Pollution The leading cause of air pollution in the U.S. is...
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...company’s internal policies related to preventing environmental damage. The thesis of this research essay is that Duke Energy did not only suffer financial loss due to being made to pay a fine for environmental damage, but also the company’s actions negatively affected its reputation and share price. Therefore, companies should carry out ethical practices and risk assessments to best serve the needs of all stakeholders. BACKGROUND INFORMATION In February, 2014, Duke Energy released a high amount of coal ash into the Dan River, Rockingham County, N.C., which violates the Clean Water Act (CWA) (1972). The CWA is a waste-water and pollution reduction programs, setting guidelines and regulatory standards for different industries (EPA). Specifically, The CWA of 1972, amended in 2002, states that “it is the national policy that the discharge of toxic pollutants in toxic amounts be prohibited” (Clean Water Act, SEC. 101.3). Duke Energy was found guilty on nine misdemeanor violations (Smith) and was ordered to pay compensation. As a result, Duke Energy’s leadership agreed to pay $102.2 million for the damages caused, and the CEO confirmed that the company took responsibility for its actions and is intending to implement safety and risk assessment guidelines in order to avoid future incidents (Smith). While this may seem like a sincere gesture, it is important to note that the coal ash spill at Dan River was not an isolated incident. According to Smith, four other plant...
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...greenhouse gas emissions. Unit 5 Individual Project – Environmental Policies Introduction This paper will discuss the Clean Water Act. This law was passed initially in 1948 and was known as the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. It was reorganized and expanded upon in 1972 when it became known as the Clean Water Act (EPA, 2014). This paper will summarize the major provisions of this law as well as the economic impact. It will also describe what, if anything, the law has improved. Finally, global warming will be discussed and whether additional policies should be adopted to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Provisions and economic impact of the law The Clean Water Act was the first major law to address water pollution. One of the major provisions of this act are that it prohibits the discharge of any pollutant except those in compliance with the Act. The Act imposes limitations on existing sources and how the pollutant is discharged (whether the pollutant goes directly into an open body of water or to publicly owned treatment plant). This law requires the EPA to maintain water quality criteria, pretreatment programs and administration of the NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permit program. It also requires states to identify waters that cannot meet water quality criteria due to non-point sources polluting the water, identify what is causing the pollution and create ways to identify the controls and programs for individual non-point sources...
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...District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay is among the largest estuaries in the world. The bay serves as a source of food, water, and entertainment to the millions of people that inhabit its watershed. Over the past century, anthropogenic pollutants, such as nitrogen and phosphorous-rich industrial fertilizers, enter the bay and spark the creation of hypoxic zones that threaten water quality and inhibit marine life. As the human population surrounding the bay continues to grow, efforts to have the states’ government improve the condition of the bay have been fruitless. The implementation and enforcement...
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...fighting a fuel oil fire is filled with water runoff that is saturated with hydrocarbons. These products, while biodegradable and will not cause (permanent) long-term damage to the environment, they will still survive in groundwater for dozens of years. (Hemming) Although dykes or berms can be used in fixed installations, containment is extremely difficult on an airport runway or roadway crash site or a pipeline burst and the odds are a crash site is probably where most fire fighters tend to meet a burning liquid. (Hemming) One additional cost to complying with EPA standards is in the realm of training. Fire fighting units can use a material called ‘training foam’ that is environmentally friendly when training for a crash site response, as opposed to the real foam. This will at least reduce, while not completely eliminate, the environmental impact. But when training with real foam, a fixed site with adequate containment must be utilized. (Hemming) The U.S. Environmental laws that regulate firefighting foam from “manufacture, storage, use, release, clean-up, remediation and disposal”, (Hughes) in other words, from cradle to grave are: * Clean Water Act (CWA) * Clean Air Act (CAA) * Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) * Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) * Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) * Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) * Hazardous and Solid Waste...
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