Environmental Concerns-Oil drilling

[bmccasland]

Look into NEPA, the National Environmental Protection Act.
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Slight correction: NEPA - National Environmental Policy Act

Just so every one knows - NEPA regards disclosure of proposed Federal action - how and why federal funds are spent for projects or programs, addressing something like 40+ federal laws and executive orders. So there can be impacts or effects of the project - you just have to disclose them. The project can avoid, minimize, or mitigate effects.

NEPA doesn't stop actions from happening. That's where the 40+ laws and executive orders come in, and how the enforcement branch of the appropriate agency chooses to weigh in. If you want more, here's the government web page:
http://ceq.hss.doe.gov/

(I write NEPA documents for a living.)

One other thought - obviously (?) this in reference to federal actions in the United States. Other countries have their own, or not, laws, regs, and ways to document effects on the environment.