State and Federal Links to Natural Resource Protection Laws and Regulations

Public Act 451 of 1994 (NREPA; document source DNR)

Michigan Administrative Code

State of Michigan - Office of Regulatory Reform

EPA Laws and Regulations

US Environmental Protection Agency

Code of Federal Regulations

National Archives and Records Administration

Clean Water Act
( http://www.epa.gov/region5/defs/html/cwa.htm )
( http://www.usace.army.mil/public.html#Regulatory )

The Clean Water Act sets the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants to waters of the United States. The Act makes it unlawful for any person to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters unless a permit (NPDES) is obtained under the Act. The Act provides for delegation by EPA of many permitting, administrative, and enforcement aspects of the law to state governments. The Act also provides for regulation of wetlands. Implemented by US EPA (water pollution) and US Army Corps of Engineers (wetlands).

Clean Air Act

The Clean Air Act is the comprehensive Federal law that regulates air emissions from area, stationary, and mobile sources. This law authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and the environment. Implemented by US EPA.

Safe Drinking Water Act
The Safe Drinking Water Act was established to protect the quality of drinking water in the U.S. This law focuses on all waters actually or potentially designed for drinking use, whether from above ground or underground sources. The Act authorized EPA to establish safe standards of purity and required all owners or operators of public water systems to comply with primary (health-related) standards. State governments, which assume this power from EPA, also encourage attainment of secondary standards (nuisance-related). Implemented by US EPA.

Water Resources Development Act

The Water Resources Development Act authorizes federal navigation, flood control, and water level control projects, including those in the Great Lakes. Also included are authorities for disposal of dredge spoils, remediation of contaminated sediments, shoreland protection for navigable waters, and Governors' approval of Great Lakes diversions. Implemented by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
CERCLA provides a Federal Superfund to clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous-waste sites as well as accidents, spills, and other emergency releases of pollutants and contaminants into the environment. Through the Act, EPA was given power to seek out those parties responsible for any release and assure their cooperation in the cleanup. Natural resource damage assessments for contaminated sites are carried out under the Act. Implemented by US EPA.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act gives EPA authority to control hazardous waste from the "cradle-to-grave." This includes the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. The Act also set forth a framework for the management of non-hazardous wastes. Implemented by US EPA.

Toxic Substances Control Act

The Toxic Substances Control Act gives EPA the ability to track the 75,000 industrial chemicals currently produced or imported into the United States. EPA repeatedly screens these chemicals and can require reporting or testing of those that may pose an environmental or human-health hazard. EPA can ban the manufacture and import of those chemicals that pose an unreasonable risk, such as PCBs. Implemented by US EPA.

Coastal Zone Management Act

The Act provides assistance to coastal states to protect and manage coastal resources, including authorization of state Coastal Zone Management Plans and funding for a grants program. Implemented by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

Endangered Species Act

The Endangered Species Act provides a program for the conservation of threatened and endangered plants and animals and the habitats in which they are found. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior maintains the federal list of 632 endangered species and 190 threatened species. Implemented by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

National Invasive Species Act

This Act provide authority for control of unintentional introductions of non-indigenous aquatic species into waters of the United States, including the Great Lakes. The Coast Guard uses this authority to require certain ballast water management practices to control discharge of exotic species for ships coming into the Great Lakes from the St. Lawrence Seaway.  State management plans for aquatic nuisance species are also authorized under this act. Implemented by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Pollution Prevention Act

The Pollution Prevention Act focused industry, government, and public attention on reducing the amount of pollution through cost-effective changes in production, operation, and raw materials use. Implemented by US EPA.

Oil Pollution Act

The Oil Pollution Act provides EPA's authority to prevent and respond to catastrophic oil spills.  The Act requires oil storage facilities and vessels to submit to the EPA plans detailing how they will respond to large discharges.   The Act also requires the development of Area Contingency Plans to prepare and plan for oil spill response on a regional scale. Implemented by US EPA.

Insecticide, Fungicide, Rodenticide Act

The primary focus of the Act is to provide federal control of pesticide distribution, sale, and use. EPA is given authority under FIFRA not only to study the consequences of pesticide usage but also to require users (farmers, utility companies, and others) to register when purchasing pesticides. Users also must take exams for certification as applicators of pesticides. All pesticides used in the U.S. must be registered (licensed) by EPA. Implemented by US EPA.