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.
7917 Views
David Dominick, Commissioner of the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration (1969-1970)
David Dominick relates his coming to Washington from Cody, Wyoming as a young man and being appointed by Interior Secretary Wally Hickel to be the Commissioner of the Water program in the Department of the Interior, and his experiences there.
Chapter 1: Beginning a New Agency
(13 minutes) From Bill Ruckelshaus and some of his closest aides recall the Opening Months of the New Agency in 1970The panel discusses the sense of excitement with the opening of the Agency's doors and the expectations of the public. They talk about getting the Assistant Administrators on board and establis...
Chapter 3: State Implementation Planning
(12 minutes) From Early Implementation of the Clean Air Act of 1970 in CaliforniaJohn Wise lays out the setting for the litigation by the public interest firm. He later discusses how the litigation drove EPA into looking at land use and transportation as a source of measu...
Chapter 7: Major Accomplishments
(5 minutes) From Reflections on US Environmental Policy: Interview with William K. ReillyBill Reilly reflects on the major accomplishments during his tenure, with an emphasis on the Clean Air Act and environmental education.
Chapter 2: The Scientific, Technical and Political Challenges
(21 minutes) From Early Implementation of the Safe Drinking Water ActChallenges faced in starting up the program, especially in standard-setting.
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."
The Air We Breathe: A Half Century of Progress
From The Air We Breathe: A Half Century of ProgressCategories: Air: General, Air: Mobile, Air: Stationary
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.
Cause for Immediate Concern by Ken Sexton
From Environmental Protection: Has It Been Fair?, Mar. 1992Categories: Air: General, Environmental Justice, Health, Lead, Toxics
An Early Success for the Delaware Bay by Bruce Stutz
From Saving the Nation's Great Water Bodies, Nov. 1990Categories: States, Water: General
Books & Articles by Alumni
Some of the most detailed history of EPA is contained in books and articles written by alumni.
Driving the Future: Combating Climate Chagne with Cleaner, Smarker Cars by Margo Oge
From Driving the Future: Combating Climate Change with Cleaner, Smarter Cars by Margo T. Oge
Index (for detailed searching)
From Borrowed Earth, Borrowed Time: Healing America's Chemical Wounds by Glenn E. SchweitzerCategories: Toxics
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 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.
Creation of EPA: Message to Congress
From Creation of EPA: Message to Congress
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
Reorganization Plan that Created EPA
From Reorganization Plan that Created EPASearch all history files.
SEARCH BY WORD
SEARCH BY CATEGORY
Search for information by typing a keyword in the box above or select a general category from the pull-down menu.
Plan your next vacation (members only)
EuropeTravel in all of Europe from Norway to Greece
Asia and the Middle EastTravel to all of Asia and the Middle East, including Russia and Israel.
North and South American (except United States)Travel to Canada, Mexico, Central America and South America.
United StatesTravel in the United States.
AfricaTravel to the continent of Africa including both Saharan and sub-Saharan Africa.
Website Design Team:
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)