ABSTRACT

Described in this chapter are several general federal statutes of relevance to environmental health policies. Subsequent chapters will relate environmental health statutes to specific environmental hazards, e.g., air pollution. The history and key provisions of the following statutes are described: the Public Health Service Act of 1912, National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Consumer Product Safety Act of 1972, Information Quality Act of 2001, Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002, and Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act of 2006. Each statute’s key provisions and implications relevant to public health are excerpted and discussed. Particular attention is given to the Public Health Service Act of 1912, an act that serves as the foundation for public health programs at the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Administration, and the Indian Health Service.