ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book describes what pollution is as well as its consequences. It takes us back in time to an age when civilization had little knowledge of the effects of exposure to toxic chemicals in air, land, and water. To determine whether a business or individual has committed a criminal violation of the Clean Water Act, it is essential to understand at least the basic requirements of that Act. The book focuses on environmental crime law and considers a wide range of federal and state environmental laws that provide for civil and criminal penalties. It addresses the subject of what environmental threats and their control may look like in the future. As with any type of future projection, some of the information can be considered speculative.
