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.
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 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: OSWER & Superfund Reauthorization
(8 minutes) From Interview with Lee Thomas, EPA's 6th AdministratorLee Thomas describes his service as the Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and Emergency Response and his work on Superfund Reauthorization.
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...
Chapter 3: Congressional Approval and the Start Up of the New Agency
(22 minutes) From Behind the Scenes at the Creation of EPA in 1970Chuck Elkins tells of the Congressional hearings that approved the creation of EPA and describes the heady opening days at EPA in 1970 and 1971.
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.
Around the Nation
From Ethics and the Environment, Nov. 1979Categories: Enforcement, Regions, States, Toxics, Water: Drinking
Cleaning Up the Auto: A Rough Ride by Jerald F. terHorst
From Earth Day, Jan. 1990Categories: Air: Mobile
Navy Cleans Up
From Quiet, Please!, Sep. 1976
Environmental Issues Facing the 99th Congress by Lloyd Bentsen
From Taking a Global View, Jan. 1985Categories: Air: General, Congress, Policy and Planning, Superfund
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
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 5: Cleaning Up the Wastes of an Industrial Economy
From Borrowed Earth, Borrowed Time: Healing America's Chemical Wounds by Glenn E. SchweitzerCategories: Toxics
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. OgeHistorical 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
Interview with Alvin Alm in 1993
From Interview of Alvin Alm January 1994Categories: Congress, Economic Impact, Enforcement, Management of Agency, OMB, Other Federal Agencies
Creation of EPA: Message to Congress
From Creation of EPA: Message to CongressSearch all history files.
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Headline Media, Bob Bell (Developer), Nicole Lane (Developer), and Chuck Elkins & Barry Gilbert (Members)