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Environmental Laws Made Easy

NEPA says...Tell us what you are going to do before you do it.

OSHA says...Tell us how you are going to do it.

CAA says...Do not put anything up the stack.

CWA says...Do not put it out the sewer.

SWDA says...Do not put it in a hole in the ground.

RCRA says...Do not put it anywhere else.

HMTA says...Do not even carry it around.

TSCA says...If it's such bad news, do not even make it in the first place.

CERCLA says...If you put it in the ground in the past, dig it up.

All this is complicated so, Congress is proposing to combine all the above into the Generalized, Overall Toxics and Chemical Hazards Act, or

Gotcha!

Key:

NEPA - National Environmental Policy Act

CAA - Clean Air Act

CWA - Clean Water Act

SWDA - Solid Waste Disposal Act

RCRA - Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

HMTA - Hazardous Materials Transport Act

TSCA - Toxic Substances Control Act

CERCLA - Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

This anecdotal definition is pretty close and easy to remember, but it's not the real thing.

Updated: 2 Sep. 2008