CWA+
The numerous federal, state, and local laws with the common objective of protecting human health and the environment.
What is environmental law?
An effect of a purchase or use decision by one set of parties on others who did not have a choice and whose interest was not taken into account.
What is an externality?
The amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the air by a person or facility.
What is a carbon footprint?
Oceans, seas, lakes and streams that are capable of being used by the operators of boats or similar vessels.
What are navigable waters?
Establishes waste management standards for any person who generates, recycles, transports, treats, stores, or disposes of hazardous or non-hazardous waste.
What is RCRA?
Under the Clean Air Act, the permissible levels of pollutants in the ambient or outdoor air that, with adequate margins of safety, are required to protect public health.
What are the national ambient air quality standards (the NAAQS)?
Property contaminated with hazardous waste that can be acquired and used without assumption of cleanup liability for past contamination when certain conditions are satisfied.
What is a brownfield?
A market-based approach to controlling pollution that allows more efficient "emitters" to sell their excess allowances of permitted emissions to others.
What is a cap-and-trade system?
The principal regulatory program established by the Clean Water Act; requires permits for the discharge of pollutants from any point source to navigable waters.
What is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)?
System used to monitor and track shipments of hazardous substances from "cradle to grave."
What is the Manifest or eManifest system?
An area within a state with a level of pollutants that exceeds the federal emissions levels set by the EPA under the Clean Air Act.
What is a nonattainment area?
Person or entity liable for damages related to a hazardous substance cleanup under CERCLA, including certain facility owners, operators, transporters, and arrangers.
What is a potentially responsible party (PRP)?
The idea that decisions with environmental consequences (such as where to locate pollution sources) should not discriminate against poor and minority communities.
What is environmental justice?
The depletion of a shared resource by individuals, acting independently and rationally according to their self-interests.
What is the tragedy of the commons?
The laws that govern wilderness protection, wildlife protection, coastal zone management, energy conservation, and national park designation.
What are natural resources laws?
Legal action claiming that pollution unreasonably injures or negatively affects public safety or health
What is a public nuisance cliaim?
An EPA rule that defines what a landowner or prospective purchaser must do to avail itself of the innocent landowner, bona fide prospective purchaser, or contiguous landowner defense.
What is the All Appropriate Inquiry Rule?
The identification and characterization of risks associated with property and operations involved in various business transactions.
What is due diligence?