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United States of America

This chapter examines environmental law in the United States. It begins with a discussion of the US approach to environmental law, describing it as a system striving for balance, including balance in terms of the allocation of powers between federal and state legislatures. The chapter provides an overview of the constitutional bases of US environmental law, delegation of authority to regulatory agencies, and environmental regulation in relation to private property. It then considers the structure and substance of environmental law, focusing on five pieces of legislation: Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). The chapter concludes with an analysis of the implementation framework and how it affects environmental law in practice, taking into account the role of agency authorities, administrative enforcement, civil remedies, criminal sanctions, and relevant provisions on citizen suits.