Which type of laws take precedence over state law?

Federal environmental laws take precedence over state law because of the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which establishes that federal law overrides state laws whenever there is a conflict between the two. This means that if a state law is less stringent than a federal environmental regulation, the federal standard must be enforced.

Federal laws often set baseline standards or requirements that states cannot fall below, particularly in matters concerning issues like pollution control, wildlife protection, and resource management. It ensures uniformity across states for critical environmental protections, reflecting the federal government’s role in managing national concerns that transcend state boundaries.

While local building codes, industry best practices, and state regulations play significant roles in construction management, they do not hold the same authoritative weight when it comes to conflicts with federal laws, especially in the context of environmental regulations.