<P> As a result of the environmental movement in the United States , it continued to mature in the 1970s during which several environmental laws were passed , regulating air and water pollution and forming the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) . Partially due to the high costs associated with these regulations , there has been a backlash from business and politically conservative interests , limiting increases to environmental regulatory budgets and slowing efforts to protect the environment . Since the 1970s , despite frequent legislative gridlock , there have been significant achievements in environmental regulation , including increases in air and water quality and , to a lesser degree , control of hazardous waste . Due to increasing scientific consensus on global warming and political pressure from environmental groups , modifications to the United States energy policy and limits on greenhouse gas have been suggested . </P>
<P> As a result of the environmental movement in the United States , it continued to mature in the 1970s during which several environmental laws were passed , regulating air and water pollution and forming the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) . Partially due to the high costs associated with these regulations , there has been a backlash from business and politically conservative interests , limiting increases to environmental regulatory budgets and slowing efforts to protect the environment . Since the 1970s , despite frequent legislative gridlock , there have been significant achievements in environmental regulation , including increases in air and water quality and , to a lesser degree , control of hazardous waste . Due to increasing scientific consensus on global warming and political pressure from environmental groups , modifications to the United States energy policy and limits on greenhouse gas have been suggested . </P>
most major laws in modern u.s. environmental policy were enacted in the
most major laws in modern u.s. environmental policy were enacted in the
1970s
1970s