EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a United States federal agency tasked with protecting human health and the environment. Established in 1970, the EPA consolidates federal programs for environmental protection and operates under the executive branch, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., and regional offices across the country.

Its mission is to protect air, water, and land resources by setting standards, testing and regulating pollutants, and enforcing compliance. The EPA conducts environmental research, provides grants to support environmental programs, and communicates information to the public.

The agency administers major environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund). It sets standards such as National Ambient Air Quality Standards and drinking water standards, issues permits for discharges and waste handling, and conducts inspections and enforcement actions against violators.

EPA programs cover air and radiation protection, water protection, hazardous and solid waste management, pesticides regulation, and chemical risk assessment. It collaborates with state, local, tribal governments, and international partners to implement environmental protections.

The EPA has faced criticism and reform debates related to regulatory reach, cost, and enforcement priorities, and it sometimes adjusts rules in response to changing administrations and scientific findings. Overall, the EPA serves as the central federal agency for coordinating environmental protection in the United States.