74. Which of these is a federal law that aims to protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of air pollution?
Answer: D
Clean Air Act
The Clean Air Act is a federal law designed to protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of air pollution. This legislation establishes air quality standards and regulates emissions of hazardous air pollutants to ensure cleaner air for all.
A) Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act
The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) focuses primarily on the cleanup of hazardous waste sites and does not specifically target air pollution. While it is crucial for environmental protection, it does not serve the primary function of regulating air quality and pollutants.
B) CERCLA
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) addresses the cleanup of contaminated sites but, like SARA, does not specifically deal with air pollution. Its focus is on hazardous waste management rather than the regulation of air quality.
C) Safe Drinking Water Act
The Safe Drinking Water Act is concerned with ensuring the quality of drinking water and protecting water sources from contamination. It does not relate to air pollution control, making it an incorrect choice for this question.
D) Clean Air Act
The Clean Air Act is the primary federal law that directly aims to protect air quality by regulating emissions of pollutants from various sources. It sets standards to safeguard public health and the environment, making it the correct answer to the question.
Conclusion
The Clean Air Act is definitively the correct answer as it specifically addresses air pollution through regulation and standards. In contrast, the other options focus on waste management, water quality, or environmental cleanup, which do not pertain to air pollution protection.