Governing Marine Environments
Major Laws and International Agreements
The following describes pertinent U.S. laws and international agreements governing preservation and use of marine environments. U.S. Federal Laws Clean Water Act. In 1972, Congress passed the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, commonly known as the Clean Water Act (CWA). Under the CWA, point source discharges (i.e., discharges from municipal and industrial facilities) to waters of the United States must obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit, which requires compliance with technology- and water quality-based treatment standards. In addition, because of the complexity and ecological significance of marine ecosystems, discharges to the territorial seas and beyond must also comply…
