The Rise in Environmental Awareness

In 1962, Rachael Carson's book, "Silent Spring," stirred public awareness of the harmful consequences of human intervention in the environment. This conscientiousness began to rise and take shape in legislation as the State Water Project began its first deliveries in 1968.
Here is a sampling of these environmental laws:

Endangered Species Act of 1973 (federal) - protects species and their critical habitat, and, in defining critical habitat, considers economic effects of such a designation. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service share authority to list species, determine critical habitat, and develop recovery plans for listed species

California Endangered Species Act 1970 - applies to native species, was amended in 1984 to more closely resemble the federal act.

Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (1972) - protects wetlands and prohibits their alterations without a permit from the Corps of Engineers

Clean Water Act (1972) administered by Environmental Protection Agency - establishes a national commitment to restore and maintain national waters in "fishable, swimmable" quality.

California Environmental Quality Act 1970 and the National Environmental Policy Act 1970. Under these two acts, lead public agencies are required to prepare and submit for public review EIS (Environmental Impact Statements) or EIRs (Environmental Impact Reports) for major federal or state projects that could significantly affect the environment.

National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (1968) - names rivers nationwide which were to be kept in their pristine natural state, unmarred by dams or power plants.

California Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (1972) - preserves about a quarter of the State's undeveloped water—mostly North Coast rivers— in their natural state, prevents construction of dams and other diversion facilities except to serve local needs on the entire Smith River, parts of the Trinity, Van Duzen, Eel, Klamath, Salmon, Scott, Feather and American rivers. In 1980, the federal government added further protections by including these rivers in the national wild and scenic rivers system.