The role of geology in legal affairs has grown since the 1960s in particular. This rapid expansion has been coincident with the new wave of environmentalism that started at that time. During this period environmental law has flourished, and numerous statutes have been passed in the United States that give legitimacy to the movement. These new legal mandates greatly expand the former power base of earlier governmental acts, especially in matters relating to polluation and waste materials. The involvement of geologists, with environmental law runs the entire gamut of land, water, and air. In some instances geologists help write and develop the law. In other cases they provide studies that are mandated by law, assist in monitoring processes, and provide reports and courtroom testimony in environmental lawsuits.
Historical Roots
Water was the mainspring for many early civilizations, and rules governing it were common. The Code of Hammurabi , ca. 2300 B.C., provided strict regulations in...
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© 1988 Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc.
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Coates, D.R. (1988). Legal affairs. In: General Geology. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-30844-X_62
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