154 The Environmental Debate
emerged as a new force of nature. We are modify-
ing physical, chemical, and biological systems in new
ways, at faster rates, and over larger spatial scales than
ever recorded on Earth. Humans have unwittingly
embarked upon a grand experiment with our planet.
The outcome of this experiment is unknown, but has
profound implications for all of life on Earth.”^4
Global Environmental Effects of Local
Human Activity
The global environmental effects of many local
and national activities complicate the task of bal-
ancing competing priorities. Population expansion,
energy use, hunting and fishing of migratory species,
wetlands use, waste disposal, and industrial pollution
can all have international repercussions.
The recognition that environmental degrada-
tion is a global concern has resulted in a multiplicity
of international declarations, protocols, and treaties
on such issues as acid rain, climate change, marine
pollution, the use of marine resources, and ozone
protection [see Documents 130, 134, 135, and 143].
But as Jurgen Schmandt et al. point out, such agree-
ments are meaningless unless all the parties to the
agreement impose national rulings to enforce the
agreement [see Document 134]. Obviously, nations
will not undertake such action if the agreement
appears to be detrimental to their own economic or
political interests [see Documents 130 and 149].DOCUMENT 124: Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (1980)In 1978 the community of Love Canal near Niagara Falls, New York, had to be evacuated when toxic wastes dumped
in the region created a serious health hazard. Partly in response to this disaster, Congress passed the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, better known as the Superfund Act. In the decades since
this law came in effect, a few notorious waste sites have been at least partially cleaned up, but because of the difficulty
and cost of toxic waste removal, both industry and government have frequently sought ways to circumvent the law.Sec. 104. (a) (1) Whenever (A) any hazard-
ous substance is released or there is a substantial
threat of such a release into the environment,
or (B) there is a release or substantial threat of
release into the environment of any pollutant or
contaminant which may present an imminent and
substantial danger to the public health or wel-
fare, the President is authorized to act, consistent
with the national contingency plan, to remove or
arrange for the removal of, and provide for reme-
dial action relating to such hazardous substance,
pollutant or contaminant at any time (includ-
ing its removal from any contaminated natural
resource), or take any other response measure
consistent with the national contingency plan
which the President deems necessary to protect
the public health or welfare or the environment,
unless the President determines that such removal
and remedial action will be done properly by the
owner or operator of the vessel or facility from
which the release or threat of release emanates, or
by any other responsible party.
(2) For the purposes of this section, “pol-
lutant or contaminant” shall include, but not
be limited to, any element, substance, com-
pound, or mixture, including disease-causing
agents, which after release into the environment
and upon exposure, ingestion, inhalation, or
assimilation into any organism, either directly
from the environment or indirectly by ingestion
through food chains, will or may reasonably be
anticipated to cause death, disease, behavioral
abnormalities, cancer, genetic mutation, physi-
ological malfunctions (including malfunctions
in reproduction) or physical deformations, in
such organisms or their offspring. The term does
not include petrochemicals, including crude oil
and any fraction thereof which is not otherwise
specifically listed or designated as hazardous
substances under section 101... of this title, nor
does it include natural gas, liquified natural gas,
or synthetic gas of pipeline quality....
Sec. 105. Within one hundred and eighty days
after the enactment of this Act, the President