Founder:
Pres. Richard Nixon, Washington DC

Industry: US Federal Agency

History:

With the 60s, specifically Rachel Carson’s publication of the book “Silent Spring,” bringing into the consciousness the issues of environmental degradation, more and more agencies and organizations have joined the drive to stabilize and improve our environment.

In December 2, 1970, President Richard Nixon passed into Congress and later on signed the law establishing the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA was established to address the problem of environmental degradation and find ways with which to improve the situation of the environment.

Since its establishment in 1970, the EPA have passed a lot of legislation with regards to environment protection. This legislation covers a wide range of topics regarding the environment specifically regarding water, air, land, hazardous chemicals and endangered species. Topics include emissions to toxic waste to ozone layer protection to pollution (water, land or air), all aiming at providing a cleaner and healthier environment.

Currently, Administrator Lisa Jackson, appointed by Pres. Barack Obama in early 2009, heads this government agency. The agency employs approximately 18,000 employees throughout the US. With the environmental movement gaining ground especially with all the scientific breakthroughs and documentaries like Al Gore’s 2006 “An Inconvenient Truth” raising to mainstream consciousness the issue of environmental care, the EPA, now more than ever, is one of the many agencies spearheading the sustainable environment movement.

The EPA writes the regulations with regards to environmental laws. These regulations are applicable to anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity or tribe. Aside from regulations, the agency also gives grants to fund for studies about the environment. Most of the budget given to the agency goes to institutions, profit or non-profit, and funds their studies and scientific researches. Information dissemination is another key function performed by the EPA.

To this day, the fight for environmental protection and preservation is the main concern of the EPA. As the environmental movement becomes global, little by little, the agenda being carried out by the EPA is bearing fruit.

Leadership:
Lisa P. Jackson, EPA Administrator