most major laws in modern u.s. environmental policy were enacted in the
Environmental policy of the United States As a result of the environmental movement in the United States, it continued to mature in the 1970s during which several environmental laws were passed, regulating air and water pollution and forming the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Partially due to the high costs associated with these regulations, there has been a backlash from business and politically conservative interests, limiting increases to environmental regulatory budgets and slowing efforts to protect the environment. Since the 1970s, despite frequent legislative gridlock, there have been significant achievements in environmental regulation, including increases in air and water quality and, to a lesser degree, control of hazardous waste. Due to increasing scientific consensus on global warming and political pressure from environmental groups, modifications to the United States energy policy and limits on greenhouse gas have been suggested.
Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 The act incorporated a three-tired system of state, regional (now repealed) and local levels of significance, and required the relevant planning authority to take into consideration the impacts to the environment (both natural and built) and the community of proposed development or land-use change.[1] Most development requires a Statement of Environmental Effects detailing the impacts to both natural and human environments, which should be taken into consideration by the regulatory authority, while larger projects require a more thorough Environmental Impact Assessment and greater public scrutiny.