Environmental Laws in the U.S. Quiz

Answer: EPA

In 1970, the legislative and executive branches worked together to establish the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help meet the demands for a cleaner environment.

Answer: petroleum and natural gas

Since 1955 petroleum and natural gas have been our primary sources of energy and they supply over two-thirds of our energy needs. Nancy Kubasek, "Environmental Law", 4 ed. (Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2002): 275.

Answer: Kennedy

President Kennedy encouraged Congress to pass the Clean Air Act of 1963. This was the first national air-quality act, however, and it did not place any regulations on pollution.

Answer: Exxon Valdez

In March of 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground and dumped 11.2 million gallons of oil into Alaska's Prince William Sound. Since the gigantic spill, the US government has increased regulations in the oil industry by passing the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.

Answer: Department of the Interior

The Department of the Interior (DOI) was created in 1845 to see that our natural resources are preserved and protected. Agencies under the DOI include the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service.

Answer: Mike Leavitt

EPA Administrator, Mike Leavitt, was sworn in on November 6, 2003, as the 10th Administrator of the EPA. He is the former governor of Utah and led the state during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. The 2002 Olympics Games were the most environmentally-sensitive games ever and organizers met the zero waste and zero air emission requirements.

Answer: The activity must have resulted in human death.

An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is something filed by a federal agency that seeks to undertake a new activity. Under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970, the law requires that an EIS be prepared for every major legislative proposal or other federal agency action having significant impact on the quality of the human environment. Nancy Kubasek, "Environmental Law", 4 ed. (Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2002).

Answer: hydropower

Hydropower is the most popular renewable energy source and makes up 80% of renewable energy in the United States. Hydropower is the power to generate electricity from running water. It is very cheap and produces no pollution. However, the creation of new dams is producing a controversy due to the effect it has on natural ecosystems in that area. Nancy Kubasek, "Environmental Law", 4 ed. (Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2002).

Answer: Gale Norton

Gale Norton was sworn in to head the Department of the Interior (DOI) in January 2001. She is the first woman ever to head this department. Norton hails from Colorado where she was the Attorney General from 1991 to 1999.

Answer: sink hole dumping

Subsidies, green taxes and emission charges are all incentives that could be used to control pollution. A sink hole is created when the ceiling of a cave collapses making a crater shape depression on the cave surface. Dumping waste into sink holes is environmentally dangerous and illegal.