APES Environmental History Timeline

1. By: Grace Brown Period 5 APES Environmental History Timeline

2. Homestead Act of 1862

3. -Provided settlers w/ 160 acres of public land -Homesteaders paid a small filing fee and were required to complete five years of continuous residence before receiving ownership of the land. -Led to the distribution of 80 million acres of public land by 1900. Source: (http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Homestead.html) Homestead Act of 1862

4. National Park Service Act 1916

5. -Established the National Park Service in the United States. -The Park Service is a part of the U.S. Department of the Interior - Purpose is to preserve nature for future generations. - First agency of this sort in the world. Source: http://library.thinkquest.org/26026/Politics/national_park_service_act.html National Park Service Act 1916

6. Dustbowl 1930s

7. Many farmers moved to the area and started to grow crops causing a drought to kick in and strong winds to erode topsoil. The U.S. Govt. then passed the Soil Conservation Act and established the SCS, & also worked closely with farmers to develop conservation plans for individual farmers. Causes: over cultivating fields, overgrazing, clearing forests on steep slopes or with larger celar-cuts. (Source: APES textbook Chapter 9 TAR) Dustbowl 1930s

8. Soil Conservation Act 1935

9. Purpose: to work with farmers after the Dust Bowl to develop conservation plans. They came up with the following aims and principles: 1. access the land's resources, problems, and oppurtunities for conservation. 2. Draw on science to prepare an integrated plan for each property. 3. Work Closely with land users to ensure that conservation plans harmonize with the users' objectives. 4. Implement measures on individual properties to contribule to the overall quality of life int he watershed or region. Source: APES textbook (TAR chapter 9) Soil Conservation Act 1935

10. Farm Security and Rural Investment Act

11. -Created to strengthen the farm economy, promote farmer independence, and preserve the farm way of life for generations.
 -Provides annual “emergency” supplemental government payments to farmers. Year-after-year low prices have persisted and year-after-year American farmers have relied on additional “emergency” payments to keep their farms afloat financially. -New bills are continously created- most recent in 2002 SOURCE: <http://web.missouri.edu/ikerdj/papers/FarmBill.html>. Farm Security and Rural Investment Act

12. Fish and Wildlife Act 1956

13. -Establishes a comprehensive national fish, shellfish, and wildlife resources policy with emphasis on the commercial fishing industr - Act regards the right of every citizen and resident to fish for pleasure, enjoyment, and betterment - Act maintains and increases public opportunities for recreational use of fish and wildlife resources. Source: http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/FWACT.HTML Fish and Wildlife Act 1956

14. Wilderness Act 1964

15. •Created a way for Congress to protect pristine wildlands by designating them as protected wilderness •Created the National Wilderness Preservation System, which manages the nation’s protected wilderness areas •Immediately put 9.1 million acres of wild American lands into the National Wilderness Preservation System, protecting them as designated wilderness http://wilderness.org/article/wilderness-act Wilderness Act 1964

16. Noise Control Act 1965

17. Establishes a national policy to promote an environment for all Americans free from noise that jeopardizes their health and welfare. Source: http://www.epa.gov/regulations/laws/nca.html Noise Control Act 1965

18. Solid Waste Disposal Act 1965

19. In the early 1960s, cities and towns across the country practiced open air burning of trash. In response, Congress passed the Solid Waste Disposal Act in 1965 as part of the amendments to the Clean Air Act. This was the first federal law that required environmentally sound methods for disposal of household, municipal, commercial, and industrial waste. Source: http://waste.supportportal.com/link/portal/23002/23023/Article/23068/What-is-the-Solid-Waste-Disposal-Act-of-1965 Solid Waste Disposal Act 1965

20. Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 1968

21. -preserves certain rivers with different recreational, cultural, and natural values for the public -known for conserving the originality of these rivers, but also using these rivers for natural use and development of preserving the areas around these rivers. -Wild river areas are free of impoundments and cannot be reached except by a trail. -Scenic river areas are still free of impoundments but can be accessible by roads as well. -Recreational river areas are developed along their shorelines and can be accessible by roads and railroads. SOURCES:"About the WSR Act." About the WSR Act. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2013.
 "Digest of Federal Resource Laws of Interest to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service." Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2013. Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 1968

22. Santa Barbara Oil Spill 1969

23. Jan 29-Around April
 - at the time the largest oil spill in American Waters. - January 29--large blowout on a Union Oil Co. platform followed by 11 days worth of 200,000 gallons of crude oil bubbling up and spreading over an area of 800 square miles of the coast of California. 
 - thousands of birds and many aquatic animals died in the spill and the area was inhabitable for several years afterwards. SOURCES: 
"1969 Oil Spill - Summary Articles and Images." UC Santa Barbara Geography. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2013. <http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/~jeff/sb_69oilspill/69oilspill_articles2.html> Santa Barbara Oil Spill 1969

24. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

25. -One of the first laws ever written that establishes the national policies for protecting the environment. -
NEPA requirements are applied when airports, buildings, military complexes, highways, parkland purchases, and other federal activities are proposed. -Assessments of the likelihood of impacts from alternative courses of action, are required from all Federal agencies.
 SOURCES:"Summary of the National Environmental Policy Act | Laws and Regulations | US EPA." US Environmental Protection Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2013. <http://www.epa.gov/regulations/laws/nepa.html>. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

26. First Earth Day 1970

27. -Earth Day founder was named Gaylord Nelson who witnessed the massive Santa Barbara oil spill and wanted to see a new focus on the protection of the environment. - On April 22nd, 20 million Americans swept the streets, parks, and auditoriums to promote a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies. -Achieved a rare political alignment, gaining support from all types of people despite any differences. -Led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. SOURCE: http://www.earthday.org/earth-day-history-movement First Earth Day 1970

28. Clean Air Act 1970

29. -Federal law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources. -Authorizes the EPA to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and public welfare and to regulate emissions of hazardous air pollutants in given areas. - Amended in 1977 and 1990 primarily to set new dates for achieving attainment of NAAQS since many areas of the country had failed to meet the deadlines.
 SOURCE: "Summary of the Clean Air Act." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2013. Clean Air Act 1970

30. Resource Recovery Act 1970

31. - Municipal landfills have to meet the national standards of the EPA made under the RCRA (Resource Recovery Act). -Enacted in 1976 and amended in 1984. It also gave the EPA the responsibility of helping State and local governments, technically and financially, in planning and developing resource recovery and waste disposal systems (municipal landfills). - Provides for the management of hazardous wastes from the start to the final disposal. SOURCE: "Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)." Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2013. Resource Recovery Act 1970

33. -Establishes a structure for regulating emissions of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters. - Because of the Act, the EPA has created pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry and setting water quality standards for all contaminants in surface waters.
 SOURCE: "Summary of the Clean Water Act." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2013. Clean Water Act (1972)

34. Marine Mammal Protection Act 1972

35. -Prohibits the taking (capturing, killing, etc.) of marine mammals in U.S. waters and the importation of marine mammals and marine mammal products into the U.S. -Provided many things: Studies of pinniped-fishery interactions, a program to authorize and control the taking of marine mammals incidental to commercial fishing operations, and certain exceptions to the “take” prohibitions such as scientific research. SOURCE: 
"Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)." N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2013. Marine Mammal Protection Act 1972

36. Coastal Zone Management Act 1972

37. -Act recognizes the importance of meeting the challenge of the increasing growth in the coastal zone -Provides for management of the nation's coastal resources, including the Great Lakes, and balances economic development with environmental conservation. - Outlines two national programs, the National Coastal Zone Management Program and the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. - Overall program goal to "preserve, protect, develop, and where possible, to restore or enhance the resources of the nation's coastal zone."
 SOURCE: "Congressional Action to Help Manage Our Nation's Coasts." NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management : Coastal Zone Management Act. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2013. Coastal Zone Management Act 1972

38. Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act 1972

39. -Signed by Nixon, FEPCA is a revision to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodanticide Act that was enacted in 1947. -FEPCA changed the job to requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate both the sale and use of pesticides with the goal of protecting society and the environment. SOURCE: "Environmental Pesticide Control Act (FEPCA) of 1972." Cry Wolf Project. Cry Wolf Project, n.d. Web. 
29 Dec. 2012. Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act 1972

40. Endangered Species Act 1973

41. -provided for the conservation of ecosystems -Authorizes the listing of species as endangered and threatened, prohibits unauthorized taking, possession, sale, and transport of endangered species -provides authority to take land for the conservation of listed species - authorizes the payment of rewards to anyone giving information leading to arrest and conviction for any violation of the Act.
 SOURCE: "Digest of Federal Resource Laws of Interest to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service." Endangered Species Act of 1973. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2013 Endangered Species Act 1973

42. Safe Drinking Water Act 1974

43. - (SDWA) is the main federal law that ensures the quality of Americans' drinking water -Under SDWA, EPA sets standards for drinking water quality and oversees the states, localities, and water suppliers who implement those standards. - originally passed by Congress in 1974 but amended in 1986 and 1996 and requires many actions to protect drinking water and its sources: rivers, lakes, reservoirs, springs, and ground water wells. SOURCE: http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/index.cfm. Safe Drinking Water Act 1974

44. Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species 1975

45. -Became the only treaty to ensure that international trade in plants and animals does not threaten their survival in the wild. -Currently 176 countries (called Parties), including the United States, implement CITES. SOURCE: http://www.fws.gov/international/cites/ Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species 1975

46. Energy Policy and Conservation Act 1975

47. -Enacted for the purpose of serving the nation’s energy demands and promoting conservation methods when feasibly obtainable. - 1975: President Gerald R. Ford signed the Act, mandating vehicle fuel economy standards, extending oil price controls to 1979, and directing the creation of strategic petroleum reserves. SOURCE: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Energy_Policy_and_Conservation_Act_of_1975,_United_States Energy Policy and Conservation Act 1975

48. Toxic Substances Control Act 1976

49. -Provides EPA with authority to require reporting, record-keeping and testing requirements, and restrictions relating to chemical substances and/or mixtures. -Substances excluded from TSCA: food, drugs, cosmetics and pesticides. - Addresses the production, importation, use, and disposal of specific chemicals including polychlorinated biphenyls, asbestos, radon and lead-based paint. SOURCE: http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/laws/tsca.html Toxic Substances Control Act 1976

50. Love Canal 1978