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.
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Interview with Lee Thomas, EPA's 6th Administrator
Lee Thomas, EPA's 6th Administrator, served during one of the most critical periods in the agency's history A member of the Ruckelshaus "save EPA" management team, Thomas discusses his service as OSWER AA and then as successor to Ruckelshaus as Administrator. He talks at length about the issues that marked his tenure, including Chernobyl, Superfund reauthorization, Stratospheric Ozone, and Climate Change. In explaining his core values and management style, Lee offers encouragement to current EPA employees.
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.
Chapter 4: Dealing with Congress and Interest Groups
( minutes) From David Dominick, Commissioner of the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration (1969-1970)Dominick describes his work with Senator Muskie, his interaction with the "Nader's Raiders" who conducted a 15-month investigation of the program, and the importance of the growing en...
Chapter 3: Program Management & Public/Private Partnerships
(18 minutes) From Former Deputy Administrator Hank Habicht talks about management at EPAHank Habicht describes his approach to program management within EPA and the importance of Public/Private Partnerships, including specific program examples.
Chapter 2: Search for an Effective Clean-up Method
(6 minutes) From The Anthrax Cleanup on Capitol HillThe response team devises sampling protocols, finds and registers an effective pesticide, and designs and tests a delivery system that is safe and effective in a modern office buil...
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.
Industry's Position: One View by Michael Redemer
From The Greenhouse Effect: What Can We Do About It?, Mar. 1990Categories: Climate, Industry
In the Toolkit: Engineering and Technology
From Trading for the Future: New Approaches to Environmental Protection, May. 1992
The Presidential Awards
From An Environmental Ethic: Has It Taken Hold?, Jul. 1988Categories: Management of Agency
Cleaning Up the Auto: A Rough Ride by Jerald F. terHorst
From Earth Day, Jan. 1990Categories: Air: Mobile
Books & Articles by Alumni
Some of the most detailed history of EPA is contained in books and articles written by alumni.
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 3. The Uncertainty of Risk but the Reality of Cost
From Borrowed Earth, Borrowed Time: Healing America's Chemical Wounds by Glenn E. SchweitzerCategories: Toxics
Before Earth Day: The Origins of American Environmental Law, 1945-1970 by Karl Brooks
From Before Earth Day: The Origins of American Environmental Law, 1945-1970 by Karl Brooks
Chapter 6. The States Begin to Take Charge
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
Interview with Alvin Alm in 1993
From Interview of Alvin Alm January 1994Categories: Congress, Economic Impact, Enforcement, Management of Agency, OMB, Other Federal Agencies
First Presidential Environmental Message (Nixon) 1970
From First Presidential Environmental Message (Nixon) 1970
White House Fact Sheet re Creation of EPA
From White House Fact Sheet re Creation of EPASearch all history files.
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