The Environmental Protection Agency Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is The Environmental Protection Agency?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a U.S. government agency responsible for protecting human health and the environment. The EPA was created in 1970 to combine various federal research, monitoring, standard-setting and enforcement activities to better protect the environment and public health. The agency’s activities are wide-ranging, from monitoring air and water quality to cleaning up hazardous waste sites and enforcing regulations designed to reduce emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere. The EPA works with state and local governments, tribes, industry, universities, communities and other partners to develop voluntary programs that promote protection of the environment while allowing businesses to remain competitive in international markets. Through these partnerships the EPA has been able to strengthen air pollution standards, set guidelines for safe drinking water quality, improve energy efficiency standards for appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines, require greater fuel economy from cars and trucks as well as regulate pesticides used on crops throughout the United States. In addition to its regulatory efforts for clean air and water quality standards as well as hazardous waste cleanup projects; the EPA also works towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions which are thought by many scientists to be linked with global climate change. They have implemented several initiatives such as increasing renewable energy use through tax credits or grants given out by their Energy Star Program or requiring more efficient automobiles through their Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program that helps reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil sources while reducing greenhouse gases emitted from vehicle exhausts. The work of the Environmental Protection Agency is vitally important in ensuring a cleaner future for generations yet unborn.