Indoor Air Pollution

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers indoor air pollution to be one of the top five environmental risks to public health. Pursuant to increased Congressional interest in indoor air quality in the 1980's, the EPA established an Indoor Environments Division, which has created a comprehensive program to identify sources of indoor air pollution and their health effects, to develop technologies and methods for reducing indoor air pollution, and to gather information about indoor air pollution for dissemination to researchers and the public.

Material Safety Data Sheets

In order to make sure that employers and employees are fully informed of the hazards of chemicals in the workplace, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration has promulgated regulations requiring that comprehensive hazard communications programs be established by manufacturers and importers of chemicals. One aspect of hazard communications programs are material safety data sheets, which are required to be prepared for each hazardous chemical manufactured or imported, and employers must have material safety data sheets on hand for each hazardous chemical they use.

Oil Pollution

Although petroleum is usually thought of in discussing oil spills and pollution, oil pollution legislation applies to any kind of oils, reflecting the potential environmental hazards of large spills of other types of oils such as mineral oil or even vegetable oil. The Clean Water Act (CWA) made it illegal to discharge oil into the navigable waters of the United States. The Oil Pollution Act (OPA) makes the owner or operator of a vessel or facility responsible for an oil spill liable for the cost of cleanup and removal of the oil as well as damages.

Transportation of High-Level Radioactive Waste

Because of the extreme hazard that high-level radioactive waste poses to public health and the environment, special precautions must be taken for its safe transport. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulates the packaging and labeling of high-level radioactive waste for transport in coordination with the Department of Transportation (DOT), while DOT regulates its actual transport. In general, spent fuel is shipped by truck and by rail.

The Great Lakes Regional Collaboration

In May of 2004, President George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13340 establishing a regional collaboration of national significance for the Great Lakes. The order recognized that the Great Lakes, the largest freshwater system in the world, are a "national treasure" that is important to preserve and protect.