Newsletters
Protection of Children's Health from Environmental Risks
In 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a report entitled "Environmental Health Threats to Children," which acknowledged that children are at particular risk from pollution because their systems are still developing, their organs and tissues are immature and more vulnerable, and their immune systems are weaker. The EPA report established the National Agenda to Protect Children's Health from Environmental Threats (Children's Health Agenda), which outlines the EPA's role in protecting the health of children.
Federal Classification of Radioactive Waste
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which regulates the use and handling of all radioactive materials in the United States other than that used in the development and manufacture of nuclear weapons, classifies radioactive waste and establishes different requirements and procedures for the storage and disposal of each different type.
Automotive Fuel Economy
At the time of the energy crisis, the fuel economy of automobiles averaged 13.5 miles per gallon (mpg) and trucks averaged 11.6 mpg. One of the purposes of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act was to provide for the improved energy efficiency of motor vehicles. For passenger cars, the EPCA gradually increased the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards to 27.5 mpg for vehicles built after 1984. The CAFE standard for light trucks is currently 20.7 mpg and is scheduled to increase to 22.2 mpg for the 2007 model year.
SLAPP--Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation Suits
The increased criticism and litigation against big business in the environmental arena led to the invention of the SLAPP suit, the shorthand for "strategic lawsuit against public participation."
The 2003 EPA Air Quality Status Report
On September 22, 2004, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a report on the status of United States air quality based on preliminary data from 2003. According to the report, total emissions of the six principal pollutants targeted by the Clean Air Act for their potentially adverse effects on human health and the environment--sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, ozone, lead, and particulate matter--dropped in 2003. Since 1970, the aggregate total emissions from all six pollutants have decreased from 301.5 million tons per year to 147.8 million tons per year, a 51 percent decrease.
