Environmental Law 1
Environmental Law
Stephanie Lamb
BUSS 440: Advanced Business Law
Professor Michelle Edwards
29 November 2015
Environmental Law 2
Environmental Law is up an up and coming in this day and age and more focuses are
placed on sustainability and the environment with in the business world. There are several
environmental laws that have been made by the federal government and the Environmental
Protection agency. . Some of the more important laws include: the Safe Drinking Water Act, the
Clean Air Act, and the Toxic Substance Control Act.
The Safe Water Drinking Act has many laws and statues that are directly involved with
the act. One of the key laws involved with this act is the source water protection. As defined by
the EPA the source water protection and assessment preforms of the Safe Water Drinking Act is
as follows:
Assessment Programs:
Establishes a new Section 1453 for source water quality assessments. States with PWSS
primacy shall submit source water assessment programs to EPA for approval. EPA is
required to publish guidance to States by August 6, 1997. States must submit their
program to EPA no later than 18 months after EPA publishes guidance. A State program is
automatically approved 9 months after submittal to EPA unless EPA disapproves
program. [1453] Sec. 132(a)
Program Elements:
A State assessment program is required to:
(1) delineate the boundaries of the areas providing source waters for public water
systems, and (2) identify (to the extent practicable) the origins of regulated and certain
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unregulated contaminants in the delineated area to determine the susceptibility of public
water systems to such contaminants. [1453] Sec. 132(a)
Time Frame For Assessments:
Assessments are to be completed for all public water systems within 2 years after EPA
approval of the State’s program. EPA may extend this period up to 18 months taking into
account funds made available to the State under the Drinking Water State Revolving
Fund (DWSRF). States shall make the results of the source water assessments available
to the public. [1453] Sec. 132(a)
Use Of Other Authorities:
To avoid duplication, assessments may make use of sanitary surveys, State wellhead
protection programs, pesticide State management plans, State watershed initiatives
including efforts under the Surface Water Treatment Rule, and efforts under the Federal
Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act). [1453] Sec. 132(a)
Assessment Link To Alternative Monitoring:
For a State to tailor alternative monitoring requirements for public water systems under a
new permanent monitoring relief authority (Section 1418), a State must have an EPA
approved source water assessment program. Any public water system seeking alternative
monitoring requirements under a State’s permanent monitoring relief authority must have
a complete source water assessment. [1453] Sec. 132(a)
DWSRF Funds For Source Water Protection:
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A State may use up to 10% of its DWSRF allotment in both FY 1996 and 1997 to
delineate and assess source water protection areas. Loans may also be used to acquire
land or conservation easements to protect source waters and to implement voluntary
measures to facilitate compliance. A State may use up to an additional 10% of its
DWSRF allotment to administer or provide technical assistance through source water
protection programs. [1452(g), (k)] Sec. 130
Demonstration Project:
EPA is to conduct a demonstration project of the most effective and protective means of
assessing and protecting source waters serving large metropolitan areas and located on
Federal lands. [1453] Sec. 132(a)
