Recently the news outlet Express reported that global warming is on hiatus. The scientist Dr. Benny Peiser believes that this week marks the 18th anniversary of the last time that the Earths temperature actually rose. He adds that the public is becoming skeptical of the notion that the Earth is heating up as well as global warming theories altogether. According to Dr. Peiser, the Earths temperature has not risen at all in two decades, a phenomenon scientist are having a difficult time explaining.
Global warming, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution are international concerns and hotly debated political topics here at home. The United States has been a global leader when it comes to issues that affect the international environment. But what are the environmental laws governing our own country?
Generally, environmental law is a complicated assortment of laws at the state, federal and international level that deal with issues associated with the environment and protecting the worlds natural resources. Most environmental laws pertain to concerns such as global warming, the pollution of air, water, or soil and the exhaustion of the worlds supplies of oil, coal, and clean water.
The Environmental Protection Agency, or the EPA, is the federal agency tasked with administering the federal environmental regulations of the United States. This agency was created in late 1970 as a federal response to the growing public concern surrounding pollutions effects on the environment. The agency has the ability to pass and enforce regulations designed to protect both human health and the natural environment. The EPA enforces such regulations by the filing of legal action at both the civil and criminal levels, and imposing fines. Further, most states have their own version of the EPA in order to enforce state level regulations concerning the environment as well.
There are several major environmental laws that have shaped the environmental policy of the United States over the last 40 years.
The federal and state regulations regarding the environment are complex and oftentimes overlapping. Our appellate attorneys concentrate on federal laws and regulations. Please contact us if you have a question regarding federal law or an appeal.