Foundational Laws for Lands, Waters and Air in the United States
Environmental laws adopted over the last five decades in the United States have dramatically improved the quality of the nation’s air and water, reduced the public’s exposure to harmful chemicals, given the public a greater voice in government decisions and conserved fish, wildlife and other natural resources.
Generations of Americans have benefited from this legacy of leadership in environmental protection. However, these gains have not been free of controversy. Environmental regulation is complex, sometimes burdensome for regulated groups and, increasingly, the focus of intense partisan debate.
The administration and Congress may consider a range of proposals that could alter the key elements of the nation’s environmental laws. The critical challenge is to identify foundational environmental and conservation laws that merit The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) strongest defense while at the same time being open to ideas that allow environmental laws and regulations to evolve in response to changing national needs and public views. These laws and their implementing regulations provide the foundations, incentives, protections or other provisions that support TNC’s conservation mission.
