Requirement 4 (C)
Requirement
Learn about the Clean Water Act. Make notes on when it was passed, its environmental goals, what progress has been made and what remains to be done to achieve the law’s goals. Describe the impact, benefits, and costs of the law as well as what is required to implement and enforce the law.
The Clean Water Act
The Clean Water Act was first passed in 1972 and has been amended several times since, aiming to protect the nation’s lakes and rivers from pollution. It sets national water quality standards to ensure surface waters are safe. The law limits the discharge of harmful pollutants and requires permits for any facility that releases pollutants. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforces these standards, overseeing state and local water programs and funding efforts to restore and maintain healthy aquatic ecosystems, including wetlands and estuaries. Environmental laws are put into action by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through a regulatory process that considers science, business, economics, public input, and other important factors. These regulations can change over time as new information becomes available.
History and Details of the Clean Water Act
How the Clean Water Act Changed Chesapeake Bay
Resources
Resources
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Watershed Academy has resources to learn about the Clean Water Act, watershed ecology, best management practices, and more.
Did You Know:
You can help meet the goals of the Clean Water Act. Visit the Scouting for Clean Waterways website to find ideas on how you can help.
Now that you have learned about the Clean Water Act,
find out about land pollution.
