Environmental Laws require you obtain an Environmental Permit when disposing of hazardous waste, emitting or discharging a pollutant in the water or air, or operate in certain regulated activities. The permit can be issued by local, state, or the federal government, however the permits are typically issued by state government. There are many different types of Environmental Permits, but some of the most common are wetlands, endangered species, clean air permits, RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) permits. Permits can also very widely based on the state in which you are working.
The Clean Air Act has three main areas for permits: operating, preconstruction and acid rain. The Operating Permit is typically issued to large sources or air pollution and streamlines the way local, state, and federal authorities regulate by condensing requirements into an encompassing operating permit. The single source of the Environmental Protection Agency ensures all aspects are up to date, as well as being easier to find, understand and comply with. The Preconstruction Permits serve as mandates for what construction is permissible, any limits that must be met by emissions, and typically how to operate the emission sources. Finally the Acid Rain Permit requires compliance with two types of emissions to mitigate the cause of acid rain
