Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. Pronounced as /ˌiːpiːˈeɪ/, the EPA was proposed by President Richard Nixon and began operation on December 2, 1970, after Nixon signed an executive order.
Etymology
The term "Environmental Protection Agency" is self-explanatory, with "Environmental" referring to the natural world, "Protection" indicating the agency's role in safeguarding it, and "Agency" denoting a governmental or other institution.
Functions
The EPA is responsible for creating and enforcing regulations that implement environmental laws enacted by Congress. It is also involved in research, standard setting, monitoring and enforcement activities to ensure the protection of the environment and human health.
Related Terms
- Clean Air Act: A United States federal law designed to control air pollution on a national level.
- Clean Water Act: The primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution.
- Endangered Species Act: A key legislation for both domestic and international conservation which provides a framework to conserve and protect endangered and threatened species and their habitats.
- Superfund: A United States federal government program designed to fund the cleanup of sites contaminated with hazardous substances and pollutants.
See Also
- United States Department of Energy
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service
- National Park Service
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Wikipedia's article - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
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