How Did the Government Respond to the Toxicological Crisis?
The Love Canal disaster led to a significant shift in how environmental health risks are managed in the United States. In response to the crisis, President Jimmy Carter declared a federal emergency in 1978, resulting in the relocation of affected families and the cleanup of the contaminated site. The incident also spurred the creation of the Superfund program under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) in 1980, aimed at identifying and cleaning up toxic waste sites nationwide.
