Environmental laws that establish EPA's authority
Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA)
PL 99-519, Title II of TSCA [Oct. 22, 1986]
Asbestos Information Act of 1988
42 U.S.C. 7401, 7412, 7414, 7416 (amends Clean Air Act) [Nov. 1, 1988]
Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Act (ASHAA)
PL 98-377, Title II of TSCA [May 24, 1982]
Chemical Safety Information, Site Security and Fuels Regulatory Relief Act
PL 106-40; 42 U.S.C. 7412(r)--amends Section 112(r) of Clean Air Act [Jan. 6, 1999]
Clean Air Act (CAA)
42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq. [Dec. 31, 1970]
Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990
42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq. [Nov. 15, 1990]
Clean Water Act
33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq. [Dec. 28, 1977]
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA, or Superfund)
42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq. [Dec. 11, 1980]
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)
42 U.S.C. 11011 et seq. (Title III of Superfund Amendments Reauthorization Act of 1986--SARA) [Oct. 17, 1986]
Endangered Species Act (ESA)
7 U.S.C. 136; 16 U.S.C. 460 et seq. [Aug. 3, 1973]
Environmental Research, Development and Demonstration Authorization Act (ERDDA)
P.L. 94-475; 42 U.S.C. 4361-4370 [Oct. 11, 1976]
Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), Delaney Clause
21 U.S.C. 409. [1958]
Certain pesticide regulatory functions transferred from FDA and USDA to EPA through Reorganization Plan #3 of 1970. [July 9, 1970]
EPA announced new negligible risk approach to regulating pesticides in food. [Oct. 12, 1988]
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
7 U.S.C. § 135 et seq. [Oct. 21, 1972]
Original FIFRA passed in 1947; Oct. 21, 1972 Amendment was also known as the Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act.
Significant new amendments related to pesticide re-registration requirements, storage and disposal of suspended/canceled pesticides, indemnity payments, and enforcement issues. [Oct. 25, 1988]
Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (FWPCA)
PL 92-500; [Oct. 18, 1972]
Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA)
P.L. 104-170; 110 Stat. 1489 (amended FIFRA and FFDCA) [Aug. 3, 1996]
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
5 U.S. Code § 552 [July 4, 1966]
Indoor Radon Abatement Act (IRAA)
PL 100-551, Title III of TSCA [Oct. 28, 1988]
Lead Contamination Control Act of 1988
PL 100-572 (amends Safe Drinking Water Act) [Nov. 1, 1988]
Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA)
33 U.S.C. 1401 et seq; PL 92-532 [Oct. 23, 1972]
National Environmental Education Act (NEEA)
PL 101-619 [Nov. 16, 1990]
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
42 U.S.C. 4321-4347 [Jan. 1, 1970]
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
29 U.S.C. 61 et seq. [Dec. 17, 1970]
Ocean Dumping Ban Act (ODBA)
PL 100-688 (amendment to Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act) [Nov. 18, 1988]
Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA)
33 U.S.C. 2702-2761; P.L. 101-380--amends section 311 of Clean Water Act [Aug. 18, 1990]
Pollution Prevention Act (PPA)
42 U.S.C. 13101 and 13102, § et seq. (part of Omnibus Budget Reconcilation Act of 1990, P.L. 101-508) [Nov. 5, 1990]
Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act
PL 102-550, Title IV of TSCA [Oct. 28, 1992]
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
42 U.S.C. § 321 et seq. [Oct. 21, 1976]
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
43 U.S.C. § 300f et. seq. [Dec. 16, 1974]
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)
42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq. [Oct. 17, 1986]
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
15 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq. [Oct. 11, 1976]
The EPA Laws and Regulations page provides summaries and full text of many of these laws, and information on other environmental laws.
See also EPA's Core List of Legislative Histories; the full-text histories may be accessed at federal depository libraries, or by interlibrary loan from public/research libraries.
Congressional Research Service has prepared a Report to Congress, Environmental Laws: Summaries of Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency [13.3MB PDF - About PDF].