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109 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is the dominant land use in the United States? |
Agriculture
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How many acres per land per year does it take to provide food for one person in the United States? How does that compare world wide?
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25 acres per person per year in the United States; world wide the average is 7 acres per person per year
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What causes global warming?
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Increased levels of carbon dioxide and methane, also called greenhouse gases, in the atmosphere
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What is the total acreage of national forest in the United States?
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191 million acres
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This book discusses the Sierra Club v. Morton, Secretary of the Interior (1972) case where the Sierra Club attempted to block the development of a ski resort in the Mineral King Valley in the Sequoia National Forest.
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Should Trees Have Standing
by Christopher Stone 1972 |
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What is the largest reservation in the United States? How large is it, and where is it?
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Navajo reservation
16 million acres Covers areas in Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico |
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Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 / Wheeler-Howard Act
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Secured certain rights to Native Americans & Alaska Natives
Returned land management to Native Americans and included provisions to create an economic foundation for its residents |
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What federal agency is responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources? What are some of the major programs it oversees?
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US Department of the Interior;
National Park Service, Native American programs; US Fish & Wildlife; Office of Surface Mining; Bureau of Reclamation (water resource management) |
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What is the term that describes areas of sand, gravel, fractured rock, limestone, or karst formations that hold groundwater and from which significant amounts of groundwater can be extracted?
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aquifer
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What is the average water consumption for routine household activity?
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50 gallons per person per day, but could increase to 120 to 150 per person per day depending on how water consumption is calculated and whether lawns are being watered
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What is the main threat to water?
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Nonpoint source pollution
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What percent of US waterways do not meet the drinkable or swimmable standards of the Clean Water Act?
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40%
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What are the six key pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act?
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nitrogen oxide
carbon monoxide lead sulfur dioxide ozone particulates |
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What two weather features affect air quality?
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temperature
wind speed |
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What is a standard maximum noise standard used by many communities?
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65 decibels
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What federal transportation legislation mandated FHWA to develop noise standards for mitigating highway traffic noise
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Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1970. Also, NEPA provides broad authority and responsibility for evaluating and mitigating adverse environmental effects including highway traffic noise
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According to the FHWA, what are some examples of noise abatement measures for highways?
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traffic management such as alternative truck routes, reduced speed limits, and traffic signal timing; buffer zones, vegetation, noise insulation on buildings, and highway relocation
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This is an early book on the destructive impact of human action on the natural environment. It inspired the conservationist movement
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Man and Nature
1864 by George Marsh |
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This report proposed a plan that would foster settlement of the west and conserve scarce water resources.
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Report on the Lands of the Arid Region of the United States
by John Powell |
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This person founded the Sierra Club
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John Muir
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When was the Sierra Club founded?
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1892
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What president was a staunch supporter of the early conservation movement?
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Theodore Roosevelt
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What is the Inland Waterway Commission
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A commission formed in 1907 to encourage multi-purpose planning in waterway development, including navigation, power, irrigation, flood control, and water supply
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Who was America's first professionally trained forester and the first director of the US Forest Service?
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Gifford Pinchot
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Who formed the US Forest Service?
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President Theodore Roosevelt
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In what book did this author coin the term "greenway"?
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William Whyte; The Last Landscape
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This book is about the harmful effects of pesticides on animals, plants, and humans
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Silent Spring
by Rachel Carson 1962 |
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When was the US Geological Survey established, and for what purpose?
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1879
To survey and classify all public domain lands |
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What was the first National Wildlife Refuge?
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Pelican Island, Florida
1903 |
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When was the National Park Service formed?
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1916
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What is the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California?
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Established in 1927 to bring water from the Colorado River to southern California
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What is the Civilian Conservation Corps?
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Created in 1933 to conserve the nation's natural resources; it provided work for unemployed youth
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What act regulated the use of the range in the West for conservation purposes?
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Taylor Grazing Act of 1934
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What is the Columbia Basin Project?
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A project in the 1940s. It was a regional plan for irrigation, electric power generation, and flood control in the Pacific Northwest, similar in scope to TVA
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What is the largest concrete structure in the United States?
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Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River
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When was the first Earth Day
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April 22, 1970
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What is the common name for Earth Resources Technology Satellite? What is its purpose?
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Landsat
The Satellite was launched in 1972 to acquire high-resolution images of the earth's surface to identify, evaluate, develop and conserve the planet's natural resources |
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This planning technique separates separates ownership of land from right to develop the land. The easement of the land is held by a government agency or a nonprofit organization.
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Conservation easement
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For this conservation planning tool, the right to develop is purchased, often by a governmental agency or nonprofit land trust.
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Purchase of Development Rights
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For this conservation planning tool, the right to develop land in a sending area may be purchased and used to develop land in a receiving area more intensly
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Transfer of Development Rights
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Some states require these environmental reviews for large developments that are likely to have regional effects
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Development of Regional Impact
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US Reclamation Act of 1902
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Created a fund from the sale of public land in the arid western states to supply water there through the construction of water storage and irrigation works
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This act allowed the construction of water storage and irrigation works in order to supply water through the sale of public land in arid western states
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US Reclamation Act, 1902
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This act made the prevention of soil erosion a national responsibility
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Soil Conservation Act, 1935
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What federal department administers the Soil Conservation Act?
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US Department of Agriculture
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What act prohibited development, settlement, road building, and all forms of mechanized transport within the boundaries of wilderness areas?
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Wilderness Act, 1964
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National Environmental Policy Act
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Established a broad national framework for environmental protection
Required Environmental Impact Statements for every federal or federally funded project based on an environmental assessment |
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What act regulates air emissions?
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Clean Air Act, 1970
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What are the requirements for National Ambient Air Quality Standards?
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Standards for air quality. Areas that do not meet the standards are known as "non-attainment" areas and are required to develop strategies to achieve compliance
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What is primacy under the Clean Air Act?
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Primacy means states have the primary responsibility to enforce compliance with air pollution emissions
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What agency was created to enforce environmental laws such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act?
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Environmental Protection Agency
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What legislation permitted states to develop coastal management programs to meet established minimum federal standards?
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Coastal Zone Management Act, 1972
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Who administers the Coastal Zone Management Act?
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
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What states may participate in the Coastal Zone Management Act?
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Any state that borders the Atlantic, Pacific, or Arctic Ocean; the Gulf of Mexico; Long Island Sound; or any of the Great Lakes
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This legislative act sets standards for industry and water quality standards for surface water contaminates.
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Clean Water Act, 1972
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What does Section 404 of the Clean Water Act do?
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Protects wetlands and requires a permit for depositing fill material in wetlands
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What system was put in place by the Clean Water ACt to control water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into water bodies?
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National Pollution Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES)
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What kind of permit must industrial and municipal polluters obtain to discharge water into US water bodies?
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NPDES permit
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Endangered Species Act, 1973
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Authorized federal assistance to states and local jurisdictions to establish conservation programs for endangered plan and animal species. It also established a list of endangered and threatened species and required planning projects to consult with the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
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What state has the most endangered plant and animal species?
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Hawaii
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What act set standards for drinking water to protect its quality that all owners or operators of public water systems are required to comply with?
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Safe Drinking Water Act, 1974
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This act was a response to the 1973074 Arab oil embargo and established fuel efficiency standards (CAFE) for passenger cars and light trucks
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Energy Policy Conservation Act, 1975
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What are CAFE standards?
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Standards for fuel efficiency for light trucks and passenger cars of a manufacturers fleet, expressed in miles per gallon.
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What was the goal of the Energy Policy Conservation Act of 1975?
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To double fuel economy by model year by 1985.
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Who establishes CAFE standards?
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The EPA is responsible for calculating the average fuel economy for each manufacturer |
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What factors are considered in determining if CAFE standards are set at the "maximum feasible level"?
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Technological feasibility
Economic practicability Effect of other standards on fuel economy Need of the nation to conserve energy |
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Since 1985, what have the CAFE standards been set at?
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Between 1986 and 1989, they were lowered from the 1985 standard of 27.5. Since 1990, they have remained at 27.5 mpg
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This act gave the EPA the authority to control the generation, treatment, storage, transportation, and disposal of hazardous waste, excluding household hazardous wastes
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Resource Conservation and Recover Act, 1976
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This act gave EPA the ability to track industrial chemicals that are produced or imported into the US; it also gave the EPA the authority to ban any chemicals that pose a high health risk
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Toxic Substances Control Act, 1976
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This act establishes clean up requirements for closed and abandoned hazardous waste sites, also known as Superfund sites. It gave EPA the power to seek out those parties responsible for hazardous releases and assure their cooperation. It also established a tax on polluting industries to establish a trust fund for clean up of polluted sites
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Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), 1980
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This act was a reauthorization of CERCLA and increased state involvement and encouraged increased public participation
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Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), 1986
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This law encourages the conservation of hurricane prone, biologically rich coastal barriers by restricting Federal expenditures that encourage development such as Federal flood insurance
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Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA), 1982
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This act requires certain industries to annually report the toxic substances and hazardous wastes they generate
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Community Right-to-Know Act, 1986
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What amendments were made to the Clean Air Act in 1990?
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Created a cap & trade system for reducing sulfur dioxide emissions
This system also enabled the EPA to withhold federal highway funds from non-attainment areas It set limits on the quantity of a pollutant that can be in the air anywhere in the US It required states to create and implement a State Implementation Program for metropolitan areas that do not meet federal National Ambient Air Quality Standards |
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This transportation act required coordination between states and metropolitan areas for air quality standards
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Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), 1991
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This act provided federal control of pesticide distribution, sale, and use, including registration with the EPA and certification
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Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), 1996
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This program provides assistance to landowners to address wetland, wildlife habitat, soil, water, and other natural resource concerns on private lands in an environmentally beneficial and economically efficient manner
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Wetland Reserve Program, 1996
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This act established a national plan for bioterrorism and other public health emergencies by increasing controls on toxins and other harmful biological agents and protecting the safety of food, drugs, and drinking water.
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Bioterrorism Act, 2002
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Preservation vs. Conservation
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Preservation - John Muir
Conservation -Gifford Pinchot |
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This term describes an acknowledgement that race and class are powerful determinants in the location of hazardous waste facilities, with race being the most significant determinant
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Environmental Justice
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How has trends in development of single-family homes affected our energy consumption?
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The average size of a SF housing unit has doubled from 1100 SF to about 2340 SF, which generally means greater consumption of building materials, greater amount of impermeable surface, and increased consumption of fossil fuels for heating and cooling
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This is a measure of how much dissolved oxygen is being consumed as microbes break down organic matter. A high measure can indicate that levels of dissolved oxygen are falling, with potentially dangerous implications for the water body's biodiversity
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Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
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This analysis incorporates geologic, hydrologic, and soil data to estimate how these physical conditions will affect development projects in terms of costs
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Land Capability Analysis
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This term refers to treated wastewater discharged by sewage treatment plants
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effluent
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This is a term to describe air pollutants for which NAAQS do not exist and can pose a serious health risk
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Hazardous Air Pollutant, HAP
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What does NAAQS stand for?
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National Ambient Air Quality Standards
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This term refers to the study of chemical, hydrological, and biological aspects of lakes and ponds
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Limnology
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This is a glacial landform shaped like half of a hard boiled egg cut lengthwise; the long axis indicates the direction of glacier flow
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Drumlin
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This is a long, narrow hill of sand and gravel in an area once covered by ice
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Esker
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This is a glacial deposit of rock and soil
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Moraine
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This refers to the algae, plant, and animal materials that accumulate on beaches at the high water mark
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Wrack
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This refers to a lake or lake-type environment, such as a wetland
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Lacustrine
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This refers to a swam or marsh type of non-tidal wetland with cattails
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Palustrine
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This describes a deep lake with few nutrients and little organic matter
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Oligotrophic
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This describes an internal-tidal shallow water zone with rooted aquatic plants
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Littoral
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What is special about the 100th meridian that runs through North Dakota, South Dakota, and Oklahoma Panhandle
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It marks the line between the east and west. The east receives 20 inches or more of precipitation per year compared to the much drier west.
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What is the MCL for nitrates?
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MCL is the maximum contaminant level. For nitrates it is 10 parts per million
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An excess of this nutrient can contribute to algae bloom, which will kill some living things in the aquatic ecosystem, leading to unpleasant odors and a bad taste in drinking water
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Phosphorous
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This term refers to nutrient enrichment of aquatic ecosystems, which can lead to producing an environment that cannot support aquatic life
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Eutrophication
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These were banned in 1979 when they were recognized to pose a serious health hazard. They were used in electric transformers from 1926 to 1976
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Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)
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This term refers to the permit application and review process for the construction and operation of new and modified stationary sources of pollution in attainment areas that comply with NAAQS. It is required under the Clean Air Act.
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Prevention of Significant Deterioration, PSD
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How many sole source aquifers has the EPA identified
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73
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What do you call aquifers that supply the bulk of the drinking water for an area
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Sole source aquifer
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These are seasonal wetlands that hold water for about two months in the spring and act as breeding grounds for amphibians but do not contain fish
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Vernal pools
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This term refers to highly organic compounds such as petroleum, hydrocarbons, and solvents that readily evaporate
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Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)
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How many Native American reservations are there in the US?
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326 land areas administered as federal Indian reservations
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How many acres of tribal land are in Alaska?
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40 million
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What is the total acreage of tribal land in the United States?
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56 million
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This act commits federal investment of $500 million in improvements to American Indian and Alaska Native communities including replacing and upgrading schools, upgrading housing, building new roads, and creating jobs
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American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, 2009
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