Environmental Protection Agency

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| Environmental Protection Agency | |
| Director: | Lee Zeldin |
| Year created: | 1970 |
| Official website: | Office website |
TheEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a United States agency formed in 1970 "to protect human health and the environment."[1]
The agency develops and enforces environmental regulations for states, organizations, businesses, and individuals; provides grants to nonprofit institutions and state environmental agencies; conducts research on environmental policy issues; and publishes the agency's findings on environmental issues.[1]
Lee Zeldin is the administrator of the EPA.Click here for more information about his confirmation process.
History
| Administrative State |
|---|
| Read more about theadministrative state on Ballotpedia. |
The EPA was formed in 1970. It derived its duties from theU.S. Department of the Interior;U.S. Department of Agriculture; the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare; the Atomic Energy Commission; the Federal Radiation Council; and the Council on Environmental Quality.[2]
Below is a timeline of events since the EPA's creation:[3]
- 1970: The EPA was formed by President Richard Nixon (R) under its first Administrator—William D. Ruckelshaus.
- 1970: TheClean Air Act authorized the EPA to set standards for air quality and automobile emissions.
- 1972: The EPA banned the pesticide DDT.
- 1972: Congress passed the Clean Water Act, which is administered by the EPA.
- 1972: The Ocean Dumping Act was passed, allowing EPA to regulate commercial activities in the ocean.
- 1974: The Safe Drinking Water Act was passed, allowing EPA to regulatedrinking water quality.
- 1977: The Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act were amended by Congress.
- 1982: The Nuclear Waste Policy Act was passed, regulating the disposal of nuclear waste.
- 1986: Safe Drinking Water Act regulations were tightened through amendments passed by Congress.
- 1990: The Pollution Prevention Act was passed.
- 1996: Renters and home buyers were required by federal law to be informed about lead-based paint.
- 2009: The EPA concluded thatcarbon dioxide should be regulated under the Clean Air Act in an effort to mitigate human-causedclimate change.
Mission
The official EPA mission statement is as follows:
| “ | The mission of EPA is to protect human health and the environment.[1][4] | ” |
Leadership
Lee Zeldin is the current administrator of the EPA.
| Administrators of the EPA (1970-Present) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA Administrator | Years in office | Nominated by | Confirmation vote | |||||
| William D. Ruckelshaus | 1970-1973 | Richard Nixon | ||||||
| Russell E. Train | 1973-1977 | Richard Nixon | ||||||
| Douglas M. Costle | 1977-1981 | Jimmy Carter | ||||||
| Anne M. Gorsuch | 1981-1983 | Ronald Reagan | ||||||
| William D. Ruckelshaus | 1983-1985 | Ronald Reagan | ||||||
| Lee M. Thomas | 1985-1989 | Ronald Reagan | ||||||
| William K. Reilly | 1989-1993 | George H.W. Bush | ||||||
| Carol M. Browner | 1993-2001 | Bill Clinton | ||||||
| Christine Todd Whitman | 2001-2003 | George W. Bush | ||||||
| Michael O. Leavitt | 2003-2005 | George W. Bush | ||||||
| Stephen L. Johnson | 2005-2009 | George W. Bush | ||||||
| Lisa P. Jackson | 2009-2013 | Barack Obama | ||||||
| Gina McCarthy | 2013-2017 | Barack Obama | 59-40 | |||||
| Scott Pruitt | 2017-2018 | Donald Trump | 52-46 | |||||
| Andrew Wheeler | 2019-2021 | Donald Trump | 52-47 | |||||
| Michael Regan | 2021-2025 | Joe Biden | 66-34 | |||||
| James Payne (acting) | 2025-2025 | Donald Trump | - | |||||
| Lee Zeldin | 2025-present | Donald Trump | 56-42 | |||||
Note: Votes marked "N/A" represent voice votes or unrecorded votes. Missing votes will be filled as they are researched.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑1.01.11.2U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Our Mission and What We Do," accessed June 26, 2025
- ↑U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Duties Transferred to EPA," accessed March 14, 2014
- ↑U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "EPA History," accessed March 14, 2014
- ↑Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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