THE Timeline of Environmental History.

1. THE Timeline of Environmental History. A Patrick McDonald Production

2. John Muir 1868-1914 • Environmental philosopher, explorer, icon • Urged the federal government to adopt a forest conservation policy • Founded Sierra Club • johnmuir.org

3. Aldo Leopold,1887-1948 • Campaigner for the preservation of wildlife and wilderness areas • Director of the Audubon Society • Founded of the Wilderness Society in 1935 • qcpages.qc.edu

4. Gifford Pinchot, 1865-1948 • the first Chief of the United States Forest Service (1905-1910) and the 28th Governor of Pennsylvania (1923-1927, 1932-1935). advocated the art of producing from the forest whatever it can yield for the service of man.“ • uptreeid.com

5. Rachel Carson 1907-1964 • Biologist and author • Alerted the world to the environmental impact of fertilizers and pesticides • Wrote Silent Spring, led to a growing environmental consciousness in America • hort.purdue.edu • clinton2.nara.gov

6. Garrett Hardin, 1915-2003 • American ecologist • Conceived concept of “Tragedy of the Commons” • Brought attention to "the damage that innocent actions by individuals can inflict on the environment” • garretthardinsociety.org

7. Roderick Nash, born 1939 • History and Environmental Studies professor at the University of California Santa Barbara • Author of Wilderness and the American Mind, argues that preservation of nature takes prominence over economic stability • fishtrap.org

8. Homestead Act, 1862 • Gave an applicant ownership of federal land west of Mississippi River • Required three steps: file an application, improve the land, and file for deed of title • Encourages individual farmers to own and operate their own farms, as opposed to using slave labor

9. National Park Service Act, 1916 • Established the National Park Service in the United States • Purpose is to preserve nature for future generations • First agency of this sort in the world. began by assuming responsibility for 14 parks and 21 national monuments.

10. Dustbowl,1930s • Result of poor farming practices; government encouraged farmers to dramatically increase cultivation • Dry soil eroded easily; drought in the Great Plains • Played huge role in the major economic depression • weru.ksu.edu

11. The U.S. Soil Conservation Act of 1935 • Established the Soil Conservation Service. This agency deals with soil erosion problems. • Carried out numerous soil surveys of various sections of the United States • Publishes maps of soil erosion and related datas

12. Farm Security and Rural Investment Act • “Dust Bowl” catastrophe belittled national confidence in the sustainability of rural farms • Includes ten titles, addressing a great variety of issues related to agriculture, ecology, energy, trade, and nutrition • Authorizes the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish and fund environmentally friendly practices • rlch.org

13. Fish and Wildlife Act 1956 • Establishes a comprehensive national fish, shellfish, and wildlife resources policy with emphasis on the commercial fishing industry • Maintains and increases public opportunities for recreational use of fish and wildlife resources • Directs a program of continuing research, extension, and information services on fish and wildlife matters, both domestically and internationally

14. Wilderness Act 1964 • Protected some 9 million acres of federal land • Provides poetic definition of wilderness: wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.

15. Noise Control Act 1965 • Protect human health by reducing annoyance of noise to the general public • Congress wanted to "promote an environment for all Americans free from noise that jeopardizes health or welfare"

16. Solid Waste Disposal Act 1965 • Enacted by Congress to cut down on pollution and clean up methods of trash disposal • 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 • First federal law that required environmentally sound methods for disposal of household, municipal, commercial, and industrial waste

17. Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, 1968 • Goal is to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations • Encourages river management that crosses political boundaries and promotes public participation in developing goals for river protection

18. Santa Barbara Oil Spill, 1969 • A Union Oil Co. platform stationed six miles off the coast of Summerland suffered a blowout. Oil workers had drilled a well down 3500 feet below the ocean floor and a natural gas blowout occurred • An initial attempt to cap the hole was successful but led to a tremendous buildup of pressure, releasing oil and gas from deep beneath the earth. • latimesblogs.latimes.com

19. National Environmental Policy Act, 1969 • “NEPA” was one of the first laws ever written that establishes the broad national framework for protecting our environment. • Basic policy is to assure that all branches of government give proper consideration to the environment prior to undertaking any major federal action that significantly affects the environment • Requirements are invoked when airports, buildings, military complexes, highways, parkland purchases, and other federal activities are proposed

20. First Earth Day, Apr. 22 1970 • In Spring 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day as a way to force this issue onto the national agenda. • 20 million Americans demonstrated in different U.S. cities • In December 1970, Congress authorized the creation of a new federal agency to tackle environmental issues, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

21. Clean Air Act, 1970 • Defines EPA's responsibilities for protecting and improving the nation's air quality and the stratospheric ozone layer • The last major change in the law, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, was enacted by Congress in 1990 • EPA projects that the Clean Air Act Amendments will prevent over 230,000 early deaths in 2020

22. Resource Recovery Act, 1970 • Goals included: • Protecting human health and the natural environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal. • Energy conservation and natural resources. • Reducing the amount of waste generated, through source reduction and recycling • Ensuring the management of waste in an environmentally sound manner • Now most widely known for the regulations promulgated under RCRA that set standards for the treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste in the United States.

23. Clean Water Act, 1972 • Established the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters • Implemented pollution control programs (e.g. setting wastewater standards for industry and water quality standards for contaminants in surface water)

24. Marine Mammal Protection Act, 1972 • Prohibits the take of marine mammals in U.S. waters and by U.S. citizens on high seas. • Also outlaws the importation of marine mammals products into the U.S.

25. Coastal Zone Management Act, 1972 • Aims to balance competing land and water issues in the coastal zone while estuarine reserves serve as field laboratories to improve a greater understanding of estuaries and how humans impact them. • Objectives are “to preserve, protect, develop, and where possible, to restore or enhance the resources of the nations coastal zone”

26. Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act, 1972 • Established a program for controlling the sale distribution and application of pesticides through an administrative registration process • the amendments authorized experimental use permits and provided for administrative review of registered pesticides and for penalties for violations of the statue. • States were authorized to regulate the sale of use of any pesticide within a state, provided that such regulation does not permit any sale or use prohibited by the Act

27. Endangered Species Act,1973 • Implemented Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora • Authorized the determination and listing of species as endangered and threatened • Prohibits unauthorized taking, possession, sale and transport of endangered species • Federal grants-in-aid maintaining program

28. Safe Drinking Water Act, 1974 • Main federal law that ensures the quality of Americans’ drinking water • EPA sets standard oversees states, localities, and water suppliers

29. Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species, 1975 • Multinational agreement to prevent species from endangerment/extinction because of international trade. Goal is to ensure any trade in protected and animal species is sustainable, based on sound biological understanding and principles

30. Energy Policy and Conservation Act, 1975 • Purpose of serving the nations energy demands and promoting conservation methods • President Ford signed act mandating vehicle fuel economy standards, extending oil price controls in 1979 directing the creation of a strategic petroleum reserves

31. Toxic Substances Control Act,1976 • EPA authority to require reporting record keeping and testing requirements and restrictions relating to chemical substances and/or mixtures • Addresses the production importation use and disposal of specific chemicals.

32. Love Canal, 1978 • Hooker Chemicals and Plastics disposed of about 22,000 tons of mixed chemical wastes into the Love Canal • Shortly after Hooker ceased use, the land was sold to Niagara Falls School Board • In 1955 an elementary school was build on the land • April 1978 - Love Canal is an official threat • August 1978 - school is closed and evacuation is recommended for pregnant women • epa.gov

33. Three Mile Island, 1979 • Nuclear Power Plant on Three Mile Island near Harrisburg, PA had a cooling malfunction in its core • Some radioactive gas was released but not enough to raise concern • No injuries or adverse effects • en.wikipedia.org

34. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund), 1980 • Created a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries • Enacted Federal authority to respond to releases of harmful substances to public health and the environment • Provided for liability of persons or companies of irresponsible waste removal • Over 5 years $1.6 billion has been collected for this purpose

35. Chernobyl, Apr.1986 • Ukraine - Flawed reactor design operated by inadequately trained personnel resulted in steam explosions and fires • Released 5% of the radioactive reactor core into the atmosphere • 2 immediate deaths; 28 within weeks from poisoning • en.wikipedia.org

36. Montreal Protocol,1987 • Originally signed in 1987; amended in 1990 and 1992 • Landmark international agreement designed to protect the stratospheric ozone layer • Production and consumption of compounds that deplete ozone in the stratosphere are to be phased out by 2000

37. Ocean Dumping Ban Act, 1988 • Amended portions of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972; banned ocean dumping of municipal sewage sludge and industrial waste • Major motivation: sludge dumping in NYC • Ocean disposal of sewage sludge and industrial waste was totally banned after 1991

38. Exxon Valdez,1989 • March 24th, 1989 - Exxon Valdez supertanker ran aground in Alaska’s Prince William Sound • Despite preventative efforts, over 250,000 barrels of oil were lost • Exxon and U.S. Coast Guard headed up cleanup; officially clean in 1992 • Today ecosystem is thriving; research only shows short term effects • eoearth.org

39. Ocean Spill Prevention and Liability Act, 1990 • Response to public concern following the Exxon Valdez incident • Improved nation’s ability to respond to oil spill by creating a trust fund • Broadened State and Federal authority to establish law and penalize those responsible

40. Invasive Species Act 1996 • Purpose: “To provide for ballast water management to prevent the introduction and spread of nonindigenous species into the waters of the United States, and for other purposes” • Aimed to prevent this in the Great Lakes

41. Kyoto Protocol1997 • International agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change • Sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas emissions • Protocol commits industrialized countries to stabilize GHG emissions • cbc.ca

42. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2000 • International synthesis by over 1000 of the world's leading biological scientists that analyses the state of the Earth’s ecosystems • Provides summaries and guidelines for decision-makers • concludes that human activity is having a significant and escalating impact on the biodiversity of world ecosystems • En.wikipedia.org

43. Deep Water HorizonOil Spill2010 • Also known as “The BP Oil Spill” • caused by an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil platform about 50 miles southeast of the Mississippi River delta on April 20, 2010 • 140 million gallons of crude oil into the Bay of Campeche in Mexico. • Public’s response undermined confidence in the federal government’s response • Eo.earth.org