Clean Water Act by EPA Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Clean Water Act by EPA - Research Paper Example In United States, nearly all manufacturing companies discharge their wastewater or storm water. Such emissions and discharges are extensively regulated by EPA in collaboration with federal and state authorities through programs of standards and permits under the Clean Water Act (CWA) (Garrett, 2003, p.1). Federal Water Pollution Control Act or Clean Water Act is the primary law that regulates pollution aspects of nation's surface waters. First enacted in 1948, it was modified by 1972 amendments. The 1972 legislation specified programs for water quality improvement. Since its enactment, the law is continuously modified and implemented by industries and municipalities. Congress made amendments in 1977, brushed up some parts in 1981, and expanded the law with further amendments in 1987 (Copeland, 2010, p.1).This paper briefly explores the Clean Water Act initiated by EPA. Background During late 1950s and 1960s, water pollution control programs were based on four laws that modified the 1 948 statute. Primarily, these laws addressed federal assistance to municipal dischargers and federal enforcement programs. Within this time period, federal role and jurisdiction was expanded to navigable interstate and intrastate waters. In 1965, water quality standards were incorporated in the law, requiring states to establish interstate water standards which would be utilized to assess pollution levels and control requirements. By the late 1960s, it was a common perception that not only enforcement procedures were time-consuming but water quality standard approach was also defective. Moreover, there were increasing concerns over the slow progress of pollution cleanup and lacking implementation of increasingly developed technologies. Such perceptions and increasing public interest in environmental protection led to the 1972 amendments. The 1972 statute established new laws rather than building on basic elements of prior laws. The statute established optimistic and promising goals: all municipal and industrial wastewater treatment before the discharge into waterways, better and restructured enforcement, and enhanced federal assistance for municipal treatment plant construction. It also extended the federal role and ensured that individual states fulfill their responsibility for day-to-day implementation of the law (Copeland, 2010, p.2). Prime Objectives The 1972 legislation announced that its prime objective is to restore and sustain the chemical, physical, and biological reliability of the nation's waters. Some other major objectives included zero emission of pollutants by 1985 and, where possible, maintenance of water quality as fishable and swimmable by mid-1983. Despite the fact that these dates have passed, the goals and efforts to achieve them remain (Copeland, 2010, p.2). Overview of the Law Clean Water Act (CWA) forms the basic structure for the regulation of pollutants discharge into waters of the United States and for maintenance of surface waters q uality standards. The basic CWA was implemented in 1948 and called Federal Water Pollution Control Act, but it was widely acknowledged and expanded in 1972. EPA has implemented pollution control programs under Clean Water Act such as establishing water standards for industries and quality standard for all contaminants in surface waters. The CWA has established that any kind of pollutant discharge from a certain source into passable waters is illegal, unless the discharger has a permit. National Pollutant Discharge

Employment Law for Human Resource Practice Article

Employment Law for Human Resource Practice - Article Example As an accountant, she has minimal influence on the activities of the human resource department and her actions in the case are therefore faulted and misplaced. As an employee of the organization, she may recommend employees but the right of appointment rests with the human resource department. Her actions while at the human resource department further portray lack of respect and should thus attract stringent and punitive measures with the view of instilling discipline in the rest of the employees. The organization reserves the right to hire and fire the employees. However, in doing this the organization must adhere to specific laws as entrenched in the constitutions and laws governing the country. There are different mechanisms through which an employee can obtain the human resource each reliant on a specific set of laws. One of such is a contract; a contract refers to an agreement between different parties to undertake a particular job for a duration. Most employers prefer contracts as a method since it safeguards the interest of the organization. The parties consent to the contract only after accepting the terms and conditions of the employment, the terms and conditions of a contract vary depending on the organization and the nature of the job. The right to hire employees from the applicants permits the department thus the organization to carry out any action to ensure that they obtain the best employee for the organization. Contracts give the organizations the authority to manipulate the terms of engagement and whoever accepts such thus becomes bound to the terms of the contract document. Despite the freedom organizations enjoy because of the contract mechanism, they are equally bound to respect different virtues of humanity and such include the contract termination procedure, the hiring process and remunerations. Contracts are always a temporary feature that demands that organizations enumerate their contractors effective for their services. The human resou rce department thus carries out extensive interviews on every applicant regardless of their background thus validating the action by the human resource department at Ironside for not considering Max an applicant recommended by Mrs. Connors. The termination of a contract is liberal to the employee but may not be to the employer. The contract term should always elapse before an organization lets off its employees. Just as stated in the definition, a contract runs for a specific duration, a time within which both the employer and the employees agree to work together. In the event of a termination therefore, both the parties must meet with the view of protecting their personal interests. Both parties may instigate the termination of the contract only that in each case, the two parties must accept the ramifications of such an act. The employer may terminate the contract at any time depending on the interest of the company. However, in doing this they must provide written statements that explain the reasons for such an act and remunerate the employee for the remaining time. The employer may also initiate the termination of the contract. In such a case, the employee must provide the employer with a written document explaining such a move and in this case expect no remuneration for the remaining time to the elapse of the contract. The other employment type is the permanent and pensionable. The mechanism is more demanding for both the employer