Federal Water Pollution Control Act (open access)

Federal Water Pollution Control Act

The Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters. The basis of the CWA was enacted in 1948 and was called the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, but the Act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972. "Clean Water Act" became the Act's common name with amendments in 1977. Under the CWA, EPA has implemented pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry. We have also set water quality standards for all contaminants in surface waters. The CWA made it unlawful to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters, unless a permit was obtained. EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls discharges. Point sources are discrete conveyances such as pipes or man-made ditches. Individual homes that are connected to a municipal system, use a septic system, or do not have a surface discharge do not need an NPDES permit; however, industrial, municipal, and other facilities must obtain permits if their discharges go directly to surface waters.
Date: November 27, 2002
Creator: United States. Congress. House.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Drinking Water Management Act (open access)

Drinking Water Management Act

This law was passed by the Republic of China (Taiwan) to safeguard public health by protecting drinking water resources from pollution by dumping, logging, industry, nuclear waste, ranching, recreation, mineral exploration and extraction, transportation, and other activities.
Date: January 27, 2006
Creator: China (Republic : 1949- ). Huan jing bao hu shu.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mapping vulnerability of tropical forest to conversion, and resulting potential CO2 emissions: A rapid assessment for the Eliasch Review (open access)

Mapping vulnerability of tropical forest to conversion, and resulting potential CO2 emissions: A rapid assessment for the Eliasch Review

This report is a rapid assessment analysis undertaken to inform the UK's Eliasch Review on the role of international finance mechanisms to preserve global forests in tackling climate change. The results should be used with an understanding of the caveats specified at the end of the report.
Date: May 27, 2008
Creator: Miles, Lera; Kapos, Valerie; Lysenko, Igor; Campbell, Alison & Gibbs, Holly
System: The UNT Digital Library
Spying Global Warming in the Desert? [News release]. (open access)

Spying Global Warming in the Desert? [News release].

This brief news article provides preliminary evidence that global warming may have sped up the pace at which grasslands are being overtaken by mesquite, creosote and other shrubs at desert sites around the world.
Date: August 27, 2001
Creator: Comis, Don
System: The UNT Digital Library
Retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (open access)

Retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

New evidence suggests that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is retreating more slowly and contributing less to rising global sea levels than scientists once thought. In fact, said researchers at a recent meeting, the sheet was still growing as recently as 8,000 years ago -- thousands of years after the most recent Ice Age.
Date: December 27, 2000
Creator: United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
System: The UNT Digital Library