The EPA: A Legacy of Environmental Protection since 1970
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established in 1970 following significant environmental disasters to protect human health and the environment. Before the EPA, pollution and toxic chemicals posed serious threats to air, water, and land, leading to sickness and death. The EPA's mission is to safeguard the natural world and the well-being of all life by regulating pollution levels and ensuring environmental sustainability.
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Welcome to the Name Email Date 1
EPA was established in 1970 a time when rivers caught fire Rail car accident set the oily Cuyahoga River on fire in 1969 Photo Credit: Cleveland State University Special Collections p10 Dead Fish in Grand Lake, CO Dead Fish in Grand Lake, CO 1972 epa.gov 1972 epa.gov 2
and cities were hidden under dense clouds of smoke p01 p06 Smokey Skies in Birmingham, 1972, epa.gov Smokey Skies in Birmingham, 1972, epa.gov Los Angeles Smog, 1972, epa.gov Los Angeles Smog, 1972, epa.gov 3
Before EPA. Increase in throw-away packages such as cans, bottles, plastics, & paper and thousands of new man-made chemicals in 1940 s (WW II) Raw sewage, industrial, and animal wastes discharged into rivers and lakes Toxic chemicals dumped in steel containers were often found when the containers rusted, leaking hazardous materials into soil and water Emissions from factories & cars caused air pollution so bad that in some cities people got sick and some died 4
People Were Dying from Air Pollution Donora, PA - 1948 Air pollution from zinc factories & heaters Residents kept their lights on during the day Football team couldn t see their opponents 20 people die & over 7,000 are sick Years later, patches of land with no plants London 600 deaths from smog in 1948 Smog responsible for 4,000 deaths over 4 days in 1952 New York Smog kills ~200 in 1953 5
Who is the EPA? EPA s 17,000+ employees are lead by the Administrator, who is appointed by the President of the U.S. and confirmed by the U.S. Senate Our Mission is to protect human health and the natural environment, air, water, and land, upon which life depends. 7
EPA leads the nation's environmental science, research, education, & assessment Develops and enforces regulations Offers financial assistance, including research grants, graduate fellowships, & programs such as Brownsfields and Safe Drinking Water Performs environmental research Sponsors voluntary partnerships and programs Furthers environmental education Publishes information
Where are we located? 10 Regional Offices Headquarters in Washington, DC 10 Regional Offices Laboratories RTP Cincinnati Las Vegas Great Lakes Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf EPA RANKED ONE OF THE TOP 10 FEDERAL WORKPLACES FOR 2007! 9
Occupations at the U.S. EPA Engineers, 13% Enviro. Prot. Specialists, 16% *Other, 36% Clerical, 5% Scientists, 24% Attorneys, 6% 10
Educational Background Some College, 13% Bachelors, 37% HS Grad. & Below, 10% PhD, 8% JD/LLB, 5% Masters, 27% 11
The EPA in North Carolina One of the largest employers in NC's Research Triangle Park (~2,000 people) Over 50% of EPA employees have an advanced degree Longest stretch of solar powered roadway lighting in the U.S. EPA s largest building outside of Washington, DC 12
For more information http://www.epa.gov/
