Home > Environmental Protection Agency
The mission of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment: air, water, and land. The EPA began operation on December 2, 1970. The EPA is not a cabinet agency, but its administrator is normally given cabinet rank. Mike Leavitt is its current Administrator.
The EPA comprises 18,000 people in Headquarters program offices, 10 regional offices, and 17 labs across the country, EPA employs a highly educated, technically trained staff, more than half of whom are engineers, scientists, and environmental protection specialists. A large number of employees are legal, public affairs, financial, and computer specialists. EPA is led by the Administrator who is appointed by the President of the United States.
EPA provides leadership in the nation's environmental science, research, education and assessment efforts. EPA works closely with other federal agencies, state and local governments, and Native American tribes to develop and enforce regulations under existing environmental laws. EPA is responsible for researching and setting national standards for a variety of environmental programs and delegates to states and tribes responsibility for issuing permits, and monitoring and enforcing compliance. Where national standards are not met, EPA can issue sanctions and take other steps to assist the states and tribes in reaching the desired levels of environmental quality. The Agency also works with industries and all levels of government in a wide variety of voluntary pollution prevention programs and energy conservation efforts.
In July of 1970, the law that established the EPA was passed in response to the growing public demand for cleaner water, air and land. Prior to the establishment of the EPA, the national government was not structured to make a coordinated attack on the pollutants which harm human health and degrade the environment. The EPA was assigned the task of repairing the damage already done to the natural environment and to establish new criteria to guide Americans in making a cleaner environment a reality.
In 1992 the EPA launched the Energy star program.
1 Operating Units
2 Related Legislation
The legislation here is general environmental protection legislation, and may also apply to other units of the government, including the United States Department of the Interior and the United States Department of Agriculture.
2.1 Air
- 1955 - Air Pollution Control Act PL 84-159
- 1963 - Clean Air Act PL 88-206
- 1965 - Motor Vehicle Air Pollution Control Act PL 89-272
- 1966 - Clean Air Act Amendments PL 89-675
- 1967 - Air Quality Act PL 90-148
- 1969For other uses, see Number 1969. For the movie, see 1969 (movie). Events January January 1 Australian media baron Rupert Murdoch purchases the largest selling British Sunday newspaper The News Of The World January 5 The Derry Riots leave over 100 people i - National Environmental Policy ActThe National Environmental Policy Act (or, NEPA was signed into law on January 1st, 1970 by US President Richard Nixon. The preamble reads: "To declare a national policy which will encourage productive and enjoyable harmony between man and his environment PL 91-190
- 1970 - Clean Air Act Extension PL 91-604
- 19761976 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 12 UN Security Council votes 11-1 to admit the Palestinian Liberation Organization January 15 Would-be Gerald Ford presidential assassin Sara Jane Moore is s - Toxic Substances Control Act PL 94-469
- 1977For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). Events January 1 First woman Episcopal priest ordained January 6 EMI sacks the Sex Pistols January 18 Scientists identify a previously unknown bacterium as the cause of the mysterious " legionnaire's disease" Januar - Clean Air Act Amendments PL 95-95
- 1990Events January January 3 Former leader of Panama Manuel Noriega surrenders to American forces. January 7 The Leaning Tower of Pisa is closed to the public due to safety concerns. January 9 Lt Gen Bazilio Olara Okello The man who led the coup aginst Dr Apo - Clean Air Act Amendments PL 101-549
