CHAPTER 8ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTIONSeveral laws have been enacted in the past tocontrol both air and water pollution, but, forvarious reasons, they were largely ineffective.With increased awareness, however, that ourecological system was seriously endangered bypollution, Congress on 1 January 1970 passed theNational Environmental Policy Act of 1969, andfollowed in April with the Environmental QualityImprovement Act of 1970. In these two Acts Con-gress declared a national policy for enhancementof environmental quality and assigned respon-sibilities for carrying out this policy.Briefly, these Acts require the Federal Govern-ment, in cooperation with State and local govern-ments, to use all practicable means to create andmaintain conditions for a compatible existencebetween humans and nature. Each Federal depart-ment or agency involved in any action that affectsthe environment is required to observe all existinglaws governing the control of pollution. All futureconstruction is to be designed with pollution con-trol in mind.POLLUTION CONTROLREGULATIONSIn 1899 Congress passed a law prohibiting thedischarge of refuse in navigable waters of theUnited States. The Oil Pollution Act of 1924 pro-hibited the discharge of oil of any kind (fuel oil,sludge, oily wastes, etc.) into the navigable waters.These Acts formed the basis for Article 1272,Navy Regulations 1948, which forbids thedischarge of oil or refuse into inland or coastalwaters. The Oil Pollution Act of 1961 prohibitsthe discharge of oil or oily mixtures, such asballast, within specific zones bordering coastal na-tions. These prohibited zones extend a minimumof 50 miles seaward from the nearest land and outto 150 miles in some areas. Most countries border-ing the Mediterranean Sea, for example, have azone of 100 miles; the Australian zone extends 150miles around most of the continent. Although thisAct does not specifically apply to naval vessels,its provisions were incorporated into Article 1272the following year. (The Act of 1961 is a ratifica-tion of an international agreement known as theConvention for the Prevention of Pollution of theSea by Oil, 1954. Proposed amendments wouldabolish prohibited zones and extend oil dumpingprohibitions to all ocean areas).The Oil Pollution Act of 1924 was repealedby the Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970(Public Law 91-224). (The Acts of 1899 and 1961remain in effect, as does Article 1272 of NavyRegulations.) This Act prohibits the noncasualtydischarge of any type of oil from any vessel, on-shore facility, or offshore facility, into or uponnavigable waters of the United States, adjoiningshorelines, or waters of the contiguous zone (12miles). Other features of the Act provide for thecontrol of hazardous substances other than oil andfor the control of sewage discharges from vessels.The Clean Air Amendments of 1970 (PublicLaw 91-604) set goals for the reduction of pollu-tant emissions from stationary sources and frommotor vehicles. New stationary sources that burnfossil fuels must conform to emission standardsas determined and promulgated by the Environ-mental Protection Agency (EPA).Guidelines for preventing, controlling, andabating air and water pollution are contained inthe Navy’s environmental quality program, OP-NAV Instruction 6240.3. In general, the Navy ischarged with ensuring that all facilities (ships, air-craft, shore activities, vehicles, etc.) are de-signed, operated, and maintained in conformancewith standards set forth in the two Acts. Some8-1
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