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.
25249 Views
Behind the Scenes at the Creation of EPA in 1970
As OMB examiner for environmental programs and deputy director of the environmental component of the President's Reorganization Council, Chuck Elkins had a unique close-up view of the key events and decisions involved in the founding of EPA. Chuck provides a behind-the-scenes look at the process of launching the new agency and the social and political context that shaped the key decisions about how EPA was created and configured.
Chapter 1: Introduction: A New Challenge for EPA
(10 minutes) From The Anthrax Cleanup on Capitol HillWorking under severe time pressure and under intense scrutiny by a nation still reeling from the 9/11 attacks just one week earlier, EPA and an interagency task force are given a challenge never be...
Chapter 3: DDT & the Clean Air Act of 1970
(13 minutes) From Bill Ruckelshaus and some of his closest aides recall the Opening Months of the New Agency in 1970Bill Ruckelshaus talks about his taking on two difficult problems--tailpipe emissions of automobiles and DDT.
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 1: A New Approach to a Large Mission but a Small Budget
(14 minutes) From The Underground Storage Tank Program's Early Management ChallengesRon Brand describes the environmental challenges facing the new program and how they chose a franchising approach for dealing with their large management challenge.
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."
Drinking Water: A Half Century of Progress
From Drinking Water: A Half Century of ProgressCategories: Water: Drinking
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.
State Officials Explain What They Can Do
From Strengthening the Federal-State Partnership, Jan. 1984Categories: Policy and Planning, States
A Scorecard on the Urban Environment by Arthur Kaines
From Cities and the Environment, May. 1988Categories: Air: General, Lead, RCRA
Cooking with Cardboard
From The World Economy and the Environment: A New Relationship, Jul. 1990
Industry Environmental Award Winners
From The Future: 1984 and Beyond, Dec. 1983Categories: Industry
Books & Articles by Alumni
Some of the most detailed history of EPA is contained in books and articles written by alumni.
Chapter 7. The Greening of Industry
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 2. Controlling 3000 chemicals: One by One
From Borrowed Earth, Borrowed Time: Healing America's Chemical Wounds by Glenn E. SchweitzerHistorical Documents
Some documents have made a big difference in the direction that EPA has taken through the years. Here we present some of them.
Reorganization Plan that Created EPA
From Reorganization Plan that Created EPA
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 EPA
Interview with Alvin Alm in 1993
From Interview of Alvin Alm January 1994Categories: Congress, Economic Impact, Enforcement, Management of Agency, OMB, Other Federal Agencies
Search 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)