The Environmental Protection Agency
In 1970 the United States government formed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA was formed because people were demanding cleaner water, air, and land. Before that time, the government had no way to deal with the pollutants that were hurting people and the environment. The EPA had to try and fix all the damage that had been done to the environment and make new guidelines for Americans to keep it that way. Our Congress makes the laws about the environment and the EPA makes sure people and businesses follow them.
Taking Action Against PollutersIf people or businesses don't meet pollution standards, the EPA can take action against them. The EPA can help pay for environmental programs to study problems, clean them up, and educate the public so they can help, too. In 1982 the EPA set aside a lot of money to clean up places in the United States that had been damaged by the dumping of dangerous pollutants. These were called superfund sites, because of the high cost of cleaning up the dangerous toxic pollutants. The EPA works with industries, businesses, and state and local governments to:
Stop pollution by lowering greenhouse gases, indoor air pollution, and toxic waste releases.
Reuse solid waste whenever they can.
Get control of pesticide risks.
Save water and energy.
In return, the EPA encourages everyone to follow the rules by letting the public (you and me) know when a company is doing good environmental work. One of the most important goals of the EPA is to teach everyone how to be aware of, care for, and feel responsible for the environment. It is only through people knowing how and doing their part to take care of the earth that we can keep our environment safe for generations to come.
