Environmental Protection in the United States

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Environmental Protection in the United States

• Christopher Green
• U.S. Embassy
• July 13, 2006

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Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)

• Mission Statement
• Protect human health and to safeguard the
  natural environment air, water, and land- upon
  which life depends

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History of EPA

• Before EPA was formed, local or city governments
  were already taking actions to improve the
  quality of the environment
• But by the 1960s, increased population and
  industrialization degraded the environment so
  much that the issue became a national priority.
  The public demanded the government take action to
  protect the environment and the peoples health
• In April 1970, the first Earth Day was organized
  in the United States and 20 million people
  participated
• EPA was established that same year by an
  Executive Order by then President Nixon
• Currently, EPA has approximately 18,000
  employees, covering Washington D.C., 10 Regions
  and 13 Research Laboratories

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Major Environmental Statues

• 1969 Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendmends (1990)
• 1970 Clean Water Act (CWA) Water Quality Act
  (1987)
• 1972 Clean Water Act (CWA)
• 1972 Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
  Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
• 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
• 1976 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
  (RCRA)
• 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
• 1980 Comprehensive Environmental Response,
  Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), or
  Superfund
• 1990 Pollution Prevention Act
• 1990 Oil Pollution Act
• 1996 Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA)
• 1999 Chemical Safety Information, Site Security
  and Fuels Regulatory Relief Act
• 2002 Public Health Security and Bio Terrorism
  Preparedness and Response Act

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Program Offices

• Office of Air and Radiation
• Air and radiation program policy
• Environmental and pollution sources standards
• toxic air pollution health and ecological
  effects analysis
• Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic
  Substances
• Pollution prevention, control, assessment, and
  inventory of pesticides and toxic substances
• Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
• Hazardous waste standards and regulations
• Land disposal and waste
• Superfund Program (remediation of toxic sites)
• Emergency planning and response
• Office of Water
• Water policy and pollution prevention
• Drinking water, groundwater, wetlands, and
  marine protection

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Functional Offices

• Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
• National enforcement policy
• Investigations program
• National Environmental Policy Act compliance
• Office of International Affairs
• Cooperative programs with other nations and
  international organizations
• International technology diffusion
• International travel and visitors program
• Liaison with U.S. international agencies
• Office of Research and Development
• Ecological and health effects research
• Dissemination of scientific and technical
  knowledge
• Environmental risk assessments
• Standardization of analytical measurement and
  monitoring techniques

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Staff Offices

• Office of Administration and Resources Management
• Administrative, human resources, health and
  safety, and facilities services, contracts and
  grants management
• Office of the Chief Financial Officer
• Strategic planning and accountability
• Budget, payroll, resources management, and
  financial management
• Office of Environmental Information
• Information strategies and policies
• Information infrastructure, security,
  integration, and quality
• Office of General Counsel
• Legal counsel and guidance, litigation support
• Office of Inspector General
• Promote economy and efficiency
• Fraud and abuse prevention and detection

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EPA Regional Offices
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EPA Organization Chart