US CONGRESS AND
ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS
THE LAW-MAKING PROCESS
Proposal > Bill
In the United States of America laws are made by Congress. Ideas for laws are presented by citizens as proposals to a member of Congress. That member introduces the proposal in the form of a bill that is placed in the hopper of the House of Representatives, or if the member is a senator, is given to the Clerk of the Senate. The clerk registers and numbers the bill so that copies can be made and it can be reported as a bill for consideration in the Congressional Record.
Committee Review of New Bills
One or more committees review every bill introduced. Often they send copies of the proposed law to departments and agencies affected by the bill so that they can provide insight as to how the bill might affect their services or regulatory actions. Depending on the nature of the bill the committee may publicize and convene a public hearing with expert witnesses on both sides of the issue. After careful study a markup session is held to make revisions to the bill, if necessary, before sending it to the full committee or forwarding it to the legislative body for discussion and a vote.
Voting in House/Senate > President
Regardless of where the bill begins, the House of Representatives and the Senate eventually must review and vote on it. Sometimes similar bills are presented simultaneously in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. If approval appears imminent but there are differences in the language of the two bills, representatives of the two branches of Congress will conference to prepare a bill that satisfies both branches. If there are sufficient votes to pass the bill, it is sent to the President for his signature. If he or she does not sign, two-thirds of the members of Congress have to vote for the bill for it to become law without presidential approval.
Reauthorization of Laws
Laws passed by Congress may be temporary or permanent. If not permanent, the law must be reauthorized. During the reauthorization process members of Congress review what appears to be working as intended and what is not. Sometimes the law was so well crafted and supported that when it is time to renew there are few changes. Often, however, because of the many compromises made to create the original law and the use of tenuous or ambiguous language, major amendments are introduced and debated. It is also a time when features one group wanted and the other rejected may be reintroduced with minor changes and, hopefully, accepted this time around.
Voicing Your Opinion
Public opinion has a great deal to do with when and how Congress votes on a bill and whether the President will approve or veto a bill. Public opinion may be expressed at public hearings or via contacts with members of Congress. Views on proposed funding and proposed regulations can be made in writing in response to information in the Federal Register, a daily governmental publication, found in Federal Depository Libraries. Timing is important in expressing opinions as well as providing important facts that members of Congress need to make wise decisions.
MAJOR LAWS BEHIND TODAY'S NATURAL RESOURCES
NATIONAL PARKS AND MONUMENTS
National Park Service, US Department of the Interior (http://www.nps.gov/)
- 1872 Act establishes Yellowstone as a national park
- 1906 American Antiquities Act authorized preservation of "features of historic, prehistoric and scientific interest". Roosevelt used this act to establish Devil's Tower (first national monument) and the Grand Canyon (first of many monuments that became national parks)
- 1916 National Park Service was added to US Department of Interior
- 1926 Recreation and Public Purposes Act
- 1978 National Parks and Recreation Act
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES
Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior (http://www.fws.gov/)
- 1901-1906 President Theodore Roosevelt issued 53 Executive Orders establishing wildlife refuges such as Pelican Island Bird Sanctuary in Florida
- 1930's Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration improved habitat and built infrastructure in more than 50 National Wildlife Refuges and fish hatcheries
- 1966 National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act
- 1997 National Wildlife Refuge System Act Amendments
NATIONAL FORESTS AND GRASSLANDS
US Forest Service, US Department of Agriculture (http://www.fs.fed.us/)
- 1891 Forest Reserve Act
- 1964 Wilderness Act
- 1976 National Forest Management Act
COASTAL WETLANDS
US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of Interior (http://www.fws.gov/)
- 1990 National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program
WILDLIFE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES
US Environmental Protection Agency (http://www.epa.gov/)
- 1929 Migratory Bird Conservation Act
- 1934 Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act
- 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act
- 1973 Endangered Species Act (earlier ones in 1966 & 1969) with amendments (1976, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1984, and 1988)
CLEAN WATER AND CLEAN AIR
US Environmental Protection Agency (http://www.epa.gov/)
- 1948 Water Pollution Act (as amended 1956, 1972, and 1977) became known as Clean Water Act
- 1960 and 1967 Air Quality Act
- 1965 Water Quality Act
- 1966 Clean Water Restoration Act
- 1970 Water Quality Improvement Act
- 1970 Clean Air Act as amended in 1977 and 1990
- 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act with 1996 Amendments
To see summaries of current laws administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency (including those related to energy, waste, pesticides, toxic substances, and super funds) go to http://www.epa.gov/ and click on Laws, Regulations, Guidance and Dockets.
MAJOR FLORIDA ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS
Title XXVIII Natural Resources: Conservation, Reclamation, and Use
Chapter 369 Conservation
Part I Aquatic Plant Control
Part II Wekiva River Protection
Part III Wekiva Parkway and Protection Act
Chapter 370 Saltwater Fisheries
Chapter 373 Water Resources
Part I State Water Resource Plan
Part II Permitting of Consumptive Uses of Water
Part III Regulation of Wells
Part IV Management and Storage of Surface Waters
Part V Finance and Taxation
Part VI Miscellaneous Provisions
Chapter 374 Navigation Districts; Waterways Development
Chapter 375 Multipurpose Outdoor Recreation; Land Acquisition, Management, and Conservation
Chapter 376 Pollutant Discharge Prevention and Removal
Chapter 377 Energy Resources
Part I Regulation of Oil and Gas Resources
Part II Planning and Development
Chapter 378 Land Reclamation
Part I General Provisions
Part II Phosphate Mining and Land Reclamation
Part III Phosphate Land Reclamation
Part IV Resource Extraction Reclamation
Chapter 379 Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Part I General Provisions
Part II Marine Life
Part III Freshwater Aquatic Life
Part IV Wild Animal Life
Part V Law Enforcement
Part VI Licenses for Recreational Activities
Part VII Non-recreational Licenses
Part VII Penalties
Chapter 380 Land and Water Management
Part I Environmental Land and Water Management
Part II Coastal Planning and Management
Part III Florida Communities Trust
To access and review Florida Statues online, go to http://www.leg.state.fl.us/.
To access information on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, go to http://www.dep.state.fl.us/.
To access information on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, go to http://myfwc.com/.
To access Audubon of Florida Policy Team's, summary of 2009 Florida legislation go to http://audubonaction.org/florida/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=24087398.