美国政府结构

Structure of U.S Government—美国政府的结构

The United States is a republic which operates under federalist system. The national government has specific, enumerated powers, and the fifty sovereign states retain substantial autonomy and authority over their respective citizens and residents. Both the national government and each state government are divided into executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Written constitutions, both federal and state, form a system of separated powers, checksand balances among the branches.

美国是一个在联邦体系运转下的共和国。联邦政府有列举的、具体的权利，而五十个自治州保留了对自己公民和居民的实质主权和职权。联邦政府和州政府都被划分为行政、立法、司法机构。无论联邦抑或州，成文宪法形成了这些机构间相互制衡的分权体系。

National-Subnational Relations

国家与州的关系

Any powers not delegated to the federal government in the U.S. Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states or to the people. （U.S. Const. amend. X. ）Nonetheless, the powers of the federal government are extensive.

The federal government's authority to regulate interstate commerce （U.S. Const. art. I, sec. 8, cl. 3）makes it the predominant force in environmental regulation. The states, under their general police powers to protect the public health, safety and welfare, also retain substantial independent authority to issue environmental protection laws applicable to their citizens and residents.

任何既没有在美国宪法中授权给联邦政府、也没有被宪法禁止授权给各州的权力，是保留给各州或人民的。（美国宪法第五修正案）尽管如此，联邦政府的权力仍是广泛的。规范州际贸易的职权使得联邦政府在环境规制方面有着突出的影响力。各州在他们的普通警力之下保护公众的健康、安全和福利，同时也保留了发布适用于本州公民和居民的环境保护法律方向的独立的、实质上的职权。

Potential conflicts between state and federal regulation in all areas, including environmental protection, are governed by the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution. （U.S. Const. art. VI. ）The federal Constitution, federal laws, and international treaties are supreme to state or local law; state and local laws that contradict federal laws or treaties are thus preempted and can be declared unconstitutional by a federal court.

联邦与州规则间在所有领域的潜在冲突，包括环保，都由美国宪法最高条款管辖。联邦宪法、联邦法律及国际条约优于州或当地的法律；因此，与联邦法律和条约发生抵触的州或当地的法律是要避免的，它可以被联邦法庭宣布为违宪。

Although the Constitution sets forth the basic framework for national and subnational relationships in the U.S., many environmental statutes add detail to specific aspects of those relationships within the broader constitutional framework. For example, federal statutes might explicitly preempt, or explicitly waive any preemption of, state law. See, e.g., Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA), 15 U.S.C. sec. 2617; Clean Water Act (CWA), 33 U.S.C. sec. 1370; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. sec. 9614; and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), 42 U.S.C. sec. 6929. Some federal environmental statutes create national minimum standards delegating primary implementation of federal programs to states that meet certain federal standards. States are free to enact stricter regulations. See, e.g., CWA, 33 U.S.C. sec. 1370; RCRA, 42 U.S.C. sec. 6929. When a state is delegated federal authority, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state will sign a Memorandum of Agreement establishing their respective responsibilities and necessary procedures. Many federal environmental statutes also provide for grants, technical assistance and other support to assist the states in furthering national policies or programs. See, e.g., TSCA, 15 U.S.C. sec. 2627; CWA, 33 U.S.C. sec. 1329 (h). A U.S. citizen can be subject to both federal and state law on environmental issues.

尽管美国宪法阐述了国家与州关系的基本框架，但是许多环境条例仍在广泛宪法框架下对这些关系的具体方面增加了细节。例如，联邦法律对于州法律，可以有明确的优先权，也可以明确地放弃这种优先权。（列举：某某案例）。一些联邦环境条例规定了国家最低标准，同时授权那些满足了某一联邦标准的州实施联邦的计划。各州可以自由制定更严格的规则（列举：某某案例）。当联邦授权给州时，美国环境保护机构（EPA）和州会签署一份协议备忘录来确立各自的责任和必要的程序。许多联邦环境条例也规定了提供资金、技术援助及其他支持以帮助州更进一步执行国家政策和计划。美国公民在环境问题上既要服从联邦法律又要服从州法律。