Legal Definitions - environmental law

Environmental law refers to a set of legal protections aimed at safeguarding the environment. These protections are designed to prevent harm to the environment caused by both public and private entities. The laws are enforced by government agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which monitor and analyze the environment, conduct research, and work with state and local governments to create pollution control policies.

• Endangered Species Act (ESA): This law protects endangered species from extinction.
• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA): This law governs the disposal of solid and hazardous waste.
• Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA): Also known as the “Superfund,” this law is aimed at cleaning up areas that are already polluted. It assigns broad liability to parties associated with the improper disposal of hazardous waste and provides funding for cleaning up the impacted areas.
• Clean Air Act (CAA): This law is designed to protect air quality by regulating stationary and mobile sources of pollution.
• Clean Water Act (CWA): This law protects water by preventing the discharge of pollutants into navigable waters from point sources.

State laws also reflect similar concerns and allow adversely affected property owners to seek a judicial remedy for environmental harms. Although laws on the state level vary from state to state, many of them mirror the federal laws.

The examples illustrate how environmental laws are designed to protect the environment from harm caused by human activities. The Endangered Species Act, for instance, aims to prevent the extinction of endangered species, while the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act governs the disposal of hazardous waste to prevent harm to the environment. The Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act provides funding for cleaning up polluted areas, while the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act regulate sources of pollution to protect air and water quality. These laws are enforced by government agencies, such as the EPA, which work to monitor and analyze the environment and create policies to prevent harm to the environment.