| Protection of Children's Health from Environmental Risks |
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| In 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a report entitled "Environmental Health Threats to Children," which acknowledged that children are at particular risk from pollution because their systems are still developing, their organs and tissues are immature and more vulnerable, and their immune systems are weaker. The EPA report established the National Agenda to Protect Children's Health from Environmental Threats (Children's Health Agenda), which outlines the EPA's role in protecting the health of children. More... |
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| The Public Trust Doctrine |
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| The public trust doctrine is a legal principle that states that the waters of a state, the land beneath them, and the shorelines are held by the state in trust for the use and enjoyment of the people. This simple principle, which recognized that access to waterways was often a matter of survival, was incorporated into English common law, which is the basis of American law. Although statutes have replaced much of the common law that used to be in force in the United States, the public trust doctrine survives, and many states have incorporated it into their own constitutions, converting the public trust doctrine into statutory law. More... |
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| The Precautionary Principle |
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| The precautionary principle is a recently-developed ethical principle that states that if an activity carries the possibility of harming human health or the environment, precautions should be taken even if the cause and effect relationships of the activity are not fully established. If the activity poses a risk to human health or the environment, the proponent of the activity should prove that there will be no negative consequences of the activity. The precautionary principle can be applied to the development of new technologies such as genetically-modified organisms, the manufacture and use of new chemicals, the use of radioactive materials, or any other technologies that might affect public health and the environment. More... |
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| Automotive Fuel Economy |
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| At the time of the energy crisis, the fuel economy of automobiles averaged 13.5 miles per gallon (mpg) and trucks averaged 11.6 mpg. One of the purposes of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act was to provide for the improved energy efficiency of motor vehicles. For passenger cars, the EPCA gradually increased the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards to 27.5 mpg for vehicles built after 1984. The CAFE standard for light trucks is currently 20.7 mpg and is scheduled to increase to 22.2 mpg for the 2007 model year.
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| Safe Drinking Water |
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| In 1974, Congress enacted the Safe Drinking Water Act for the purpose of regulating public water systems throughout the country and ensuring the safety of public drinking water, as well as protecting sources of drinking water such as lakes, rivers, springs, reservoirs, and groundwater. More... |
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