Environmental Laws: Summaries Of Major Statutes .

Environmental Laws: Summariesof Major Statutes Administered bythe Environmental Protection AgencyDavid M. Bearden, CoordinatorSpecialist in Environmental PolicyClaudia CopelandSpecialist in Resources and Environmental PolicyLinda LutherAnalyst in Environmental PolicyJames E. McCarthySpecialist in Environmental PolicyMary TiemannSpecialist in Environmental PolicyRobert EsworthySpecialist in Environmental PolicyJerry H. YenAnalyst in Environmental PolicyDecember 20, 2013Congressional Research Service7-5700www.crs.govRL30798

Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by EPASummaryWith congressional approval, the Nixon Administration established the Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) in 1970 under an executive branch reorganization plan, which consolidatednumerous federal pollution control responsibilities that had been divided among several federalagencies. EPA’s responsibilities grew over time as Congress enacted an increasing number ofenvironmental statutes and major amendments to these statutes. EPA’s primary responsibilitieshave evolved to include the regulation of air quality, water quality, and chemicals in commerce;the development of regulatory criteria for the management and disposal of solid and hazardouswastes; and the cleanup of environmental contamination. The implementation and enforcement ofmany of these federal authorities is delegated to the states. EPA also provides financial assistanceto states and local governments to aid them in administering pollution control programs and incomplying with certain federal environmental requirements. Several federal statutes provide thelegal authority for EPA’s programs and activities. The major provisions of each of the followingstatutes are summarized in this report, as laid out in existing law as of this writing.The Clean Air Act (CAA) authorizes EPA to set mobile source limits, ambient air qualitystandards, hazardous air pollutant emission standards, standards for new pollution sources, andsignificant deterioration requirements; to identify areas that do not attain federal ambient airquality standards set under the act; to administer a cap-and-trade program to reduce acid rain; andto phase out substances that deplete the Earth’s stratospheric ozone layer.The Clean Water Act (CWA) authorizes the regulation and enforcement of requirements thatgovern waste discharges into U.S. waters, and financial assistance for wastewater treatment plantconstruction and improvements. The Ocean Dumping Act focuses on the regulation of theintentional disposal of materials into ocean waters and authorizes related research. The SafeDrinking Water Act (SDWA) authorizes EPA to establish primary drinking water standards,regulate underground injection disposal practices, and administer a groundwater control program.The Solid Waste Disposal Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) governthe regulation of solid and hazardous wastes, and corrective actions to address improper wastemanagement practices. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, andLiability Act (CERCLA) focuses on the cleanup of contamination resulting from the past releaseof hazardous substances, but excludes petroleum which primarily is covered under the OilPollution Act. Amendments to the Solid Waste Disposal Act specifically address the cleanup ofpetroleum leaked from underground storage tanks that are not covered under CERCLA.The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, andRodenticide Act (FIFRA) require regulation of commercial chemicals to reduce risks to humanhealth and the environment. The Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) authorizes various mechanismsintended to prevent pollution by reducing the generation of pollutants at the point of origin. TheEmergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) requires industrialreporting of toxic releases and encourages chemical emergency response planning.Under these and other statutes, Congress has assigned EPA the administration of a considerablebody of law and associated programs and activities. This report is not comprehensive in terms ofsummarizing all laws administered by EPA, but covers the major, basic statutory authoritiesunderlying the agency’s programs and activities, and those which EPA has delegated to the states.Congressional Research Service

Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by EPAContentsIntroduction. 1Clean Air Act . 3Background. 3National Ambient Air Quality Standards . 5State Implementation Plans . 5Nonattainment Requirements . 6Requirements for Ozone Nonattainment Areas . 7Requirements for Carbon Monoxide Nonattainment Areas . 8Requirements for Particulate Nonattainment Areas . 9Transported Air Pollution . 9Emission Standards for Mobile Sources . 10Hazardous Air Pollutants . 12New Source Performance Standards . 13Solid Waste Incinerators . 14Prevention of Significant Deterioration / Regional Haze . 14Acid Deposition Control. 15Permits . 16Enforcement . 17Stratospheric Ozone Protection . 17Clean Water Act . 25Background. 25Federal and State Responsibilities . 28Titles II and VI—Municipal Wastewater Treatment Construction . 28Permits, Regulations, and Enforcement . 29Ocean Dumping Act . 34Background. 34Regulating Ocean Dumping . 35Enforcement . 36Research and Coastal Water Quality Monitoring . 37Safe Drinking Water Act . 39Background. 39National Drinking Water Regulations. 41Contaminant Selection and Regulatory Schedules . 41Standard Setting . 41Risk Assessment . 42Variances and Exemptions . 42State Primacy . 42Enforcement, Consumer Information, and Citizen Suits . 43Consumer Information and Reports . 43Citizen Suits . 43Compliance Improvement Programs . 43Ground Water Protection Programs . 44Source Water Assessment and Protection Programs. 44State Revolving Funds . 45Drinking Water Security . 45Vulnerability Assessments. 45Congressional Research Service

Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by EPAEmergency Powers . 46Tampering with Public Water Systems. 46Emergency Assistance . 46Other Selected Provisions. 47Lead-Free Plumbing . 47Research, Technical Assistance, and Training . 47Demonstration Grants . 48Records, Inspections, and Monitoring . 48National Drinking Water Advisory Council . 48Federal Agencies . 48Assistance to Colonias . 49Estrogenic Substances . 49Drinking Water Studies. 49Solid Waste Disposal Act/Resource Conservation and Recovery Act . 52Background. 52Waste Management Requirements . 53Hazardous Waste Management Requirements . 53Solid Waste Management Requirements . 55Citizen Suits and Imminent Hazard Provisions . 56Underground Storage Tanks . 57Promoting Recycling . 58Amendments to RCRA . 59Solid Waste Disposal Act Amendments of 1980 . 59The Used Oil Recycling Act of 1989 . 60Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984. 61Federal Facility Compliance Act of 1992. 611996 Amendments . 62Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act . 62Additional Selected Laws Affecting Solid Waste Management .

complying with certain federal environmental requirements. Several federal statutes provide the legal authority for EPA’s programs and activities. The major provisions of each of the following statutes are summarized in this report, as laid out in existing law as of this writing.