The EPA is responsible for regulating environmental standards related to transportation. These regulations cover a broad range of topics, including emissions standards for vehicles, fuel economy standards, and air quality standards.
Clean Air Act: This is the foundation legislation for air pollution control in the United States. It sets standards for emissions control, regulates automotive emissions, and limits the use of certain chemicals.
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS): A set of air quality standards for six pollutants which are harmful to human health, including particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and lead.
Air Toxics: EPA regulations to minimise exposure to emissions of hazardous airborne pollutants, such as benzene and formaldehyde.
Mobile Source Air Pollution Control: This set of regulations was enacted to reduce vehicle emissions of CO2, nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds.
Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE): This regulation mandates a fleetwide fuel economy for cars and light-duty trucks.
Clean Water Act: This legislation manages the discharge of pollutants into navigable US waters and sets water quality standards for surface waters.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA): This regulation manages hazardous waste from its creation until its final disposal, establishing a tracking system for hazardous waste management.
Endangered Species Act: A licensing authority given to EPA that regulates pesticide usage in order to avoid and minimize harm to threatened or endangered species.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA): This act seeks to manage or prevent releases of hazardous substances by identifying contaminations, taking corrective action, and assigning or litigating liability for cleanup, operating under the concepts of Superfund.
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA): This law establishes the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) to track and disclose the use, handling, release, and transport of hazardous chemicals.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA): This law requires governmental agencies to assess the environmental impact of proposed projects, explore alternative solutions, and minimize environmental harm.
Ozone Depletion: This regulation regulates the use of ozone-depleting substances to reduce their release into the atmosphere, contributing to the protection of the ozone layer.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions: This regulation controls emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to reduce negative impacts on climate change and air quality.
The Clean Energy Plan: A plan identifying how the US Government is moving forward in response to the threat of climate change, targeting emissions reductions from increased R&D in low-carbon tech and a reduction in carbon emissions from the electricity sector.
Clean Water Rule: A rule clarifying the definition of “waters of the United States” to include tributaries or wetlands with a significant ecological or hydrological link to navigable waterways.
Emissions Standards: EPA regulations set emissions standards for vehicles and engines, including limits on carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and other pollutants.
CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) Standards: Regulations that set standards for the average fuel economy of vehicles sold by automakers, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Vehicle Fuel Economy Labeling: Regulations that require automakers to provide fuel economy information on new cars and light trucks, improving consumer awareness and purchasing decisions.
Clean Air Act Amendments: EPA regulations implementing the Clean Air Act and its amendments, including controls on vehicle emissions and fuel quality.
Clean Air Interstate Rule: EPA regulations addressing interstate air pollution caused by power plants, with a focus on reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
Clean Air Mercury Rule: EPA regulations aimed at reducing mercury emissions from power plants and other sources, to protect human health and the environment.
Mobile Source Air Toxics: EPA regulations that aim to reduce emissions from vehicles and engines, including harmful pollutants such as benzene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde.
National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Regulations that set standards for ambient air quality, including limits on ozone and fine particulate matter.