MASL 505 Environmental Policy & Law
This course explores the policies, laws, and politics of environmental protection and use of natural resources. Students will review the history of the U.S. natural resource policies and the shift from local and state governments to federal leadership on matters of environmental health and quality protection. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) along with key federal statutes are addressed such as the Administrative Procedure Act, Clean Air Act, The Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Safe Drinking Water Act including the effects of the policies for sustainability. The roles of the three branches of the federal government are explored from a historical context in regard to natural resource acquisition, disposal, conservation, and preservation.