History of the EPA
Below we serve up glimpses of EPA's history in five different "flavors":
Oral History Videos
Alumni have recorded videos on a variety of subjects. Most videos are 45 to 60 minutes in length but are broken down into chapters for easier viewing. Transcripts and podcast versions of these videos are also provided. HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS TO PEEK YOUR INTEREST.
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Early Implementation of the Clean Air Act of 1970 in California
Three former Region 9 employees (John Wise, Dave Calkins, and David Souten) and Bill Ruckelshaus and Mary Nichols tell the story of how EPA applied the new Clean Air Act of 1970 with its stringent standards and deadlines to the very difficult challenge of cleaning up the most polluted region in the nation--the Los Angeles Air Basin.
Chapter 3: Working Against an Immovable Deadline
(8 minutes) From The Anthrax Cleanup on Capitol HillWorking seven days a week and 18 hours a day while overcoming obstacles ranging from hidden rooms to sudden breaches in containment, the response team begins the clean-up. Among the big...
Chapter 2: EPA's Relationship with the Private Sector
(8 minutes) From Former Deputy Administrator Hank Habicht talks about management at EPAHank Habicht's views of the relationship between EPA and the Private Sector, then and now.
Chapter 2: Chernobyl's Radiation Emergency
(8 minutes) From Interview with Lee Thomas, EPA's 6th AdministratorLee Thomas describes his being put in charge of handling the consequences for the United States of the Chernobyl Radiation Emergency in the Soviet Union.
Chapter 3: Commissioner of the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration
(22 minutes) From David Dominick, Commissioner of the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration (1969-1970)David Dominick describes his tenure as head of the Water Pollution Control program in the Department of the Interior, his battles with Assistant Secretary Carl Klein, the efforts of Murray Stein, A...
Half Century of Environmental Progress
High school and college students as well as others may not know about the major environmental problems and issues encountered in the United States in the latter half of the 20th century, how they were addressed, and the importance of continued vigilance in attacking remaining and evolving issues. This history of EPA has been written for them."
Reducing Pesticide Risks: A Half Century of Progress
From Reducing Pesticide Risks: A Half Century of ProgressCategories: Pesticides
EPA Journals
For many years, EPA published the "EPA Journal" with interesting articles on a very wide variety of topics. The Association is slowly digitizing and categorizing these Journals. To date we have digitized 3034 articles. HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTED ARTICLES FOR YOU TO SAMPLE.
New Leadership for EPA
From Our Stake in the Outdoors; Visibility in the National Parks; New EPA Budget Trends, May. 1981Categories: Management of Agency
Tracking the Greenhouse Gases by Pieter P. Tans
From Environmental Data: Providing Answers or Raising Questions?, May. 1989Categories: Climate
For the Classroom: Tweety and the Beanstalk
From Recycling: Closing the Loop, Jul. 1992Categories: Children, Education
Books & Articles by Alumni
Some of the most detailed history of EPA is contained in books and articles written by alumni.
Cleaning up America: An Insider's View of EPA by John Quarles
From Cleaning up America: An Insider's View of EPA by John Quarles
Chapter 6. The States Begin to Take Charge
From Borrowed Earth, Borrowed Time: Healing America's Chemical Wounds by Glenn E. SchweitzerCategories: Toxics
Chapter 9. The Power and Limitations of Science and Technology
From Borrowed Earth, Borrowed Time: Healing America's Chemical Wounds by Glenn E. SchweitzerCategories: Toxics
Chapter 8. Exceeding the Absorptive Limits of the Global Commons
From Borrowed Earth, Borrowed Time: Healing America's Chemical Wounds by Glenn E. SchweitzerCategories: Toxics
Historical Documents
Some documents have made a big difference in the direction that EPA has taken through the years. Here we present some of them.
First Presidential Environmental Message (Nixon) 1970
From First Presidential Environmental Message (Nixon) 1970
Interview with Alvin Alm in 1993
From Interview of Alvin Alm January 1994Categories: Congress, Economic Impact, Enforcement, Management of Agency, OMB, Other Federal Agencies
White House Fact Sheet re Creation of EPA
From White House Fact Sheet re Creation of EPA
Reorganization Plan that Created EPA
From Reorganization Plan that Created EPASearch all history files.
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Headline Media, Bob Bell (Developer), Nicole Lane (Developer), and Chuck Elkins & Barry Gilbert (Members)
Headline Media, Bob Bell (Developer), Nicole Lane (Developer), and Chuck Elkins & Barry Gilbert (Members)