EPA Alumni Association: 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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Reflections on US Environmental Policy: Interview with William K. Reilly

Former Administrator Bill Reilly talks about his arrival at EPA, his agenda at EPA, his focus on international issues, his changing view of EPA staff, and challenges that EPA faces. This interview was produced by two alumni, Dan Fiorino and Gordon Binder, under the auspices of the School of Public Affairs at American University.

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: Implementation (Standards, Regions, and States)

(18 minutes) From Early Implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act

How Headquarters, Regions, and States worked together.

Chapter 1: A New Approach to a Large Mission but a Small Budget

(14 minutes) From The Underground Storage Tank Program's Early Management Challenges

Ron Brand describes the environmental challenges facing the new program and how they chose a franchising approach for dealing with their large management challenge.

Chapter 2: Chernobyl's Radiation Emergency

(8 minutes) From Interview with Lee Thomas, EPA's 6th Administrator

Lee Thomas describes his being put in charge of handling the consequences for the United States of the Chernobyl Radiation Emergency in the Soviet Union.

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."

Toxic Substances: A Half Century of Progress

From Toxic Substances: A Half Century of Progress
Categories: Toxics

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.

Reducing Solid Waste

From Protecting Clean Air, May. 1975
Categories: Solid Waste

Update

From The Environmentalists, Apr. 1978

Newsline: "Cash for Clunkers" to Cut Pollution

From Trading for the Future: New Approaches to Environmental Protection, May. 1992
Categories: Air: General, Air: Mobile, Air: Stationary

The Three E's: Economics, Energy, Environment by Joan Martin Nicholson

From Labor and EPA, Nov. 1977
Categories: Economic Impact, Prevention, Public, The, Toxics

Books & Articles by Alumni

Some of the most detailed history of EPA is contained in books and articles written by alumni.

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.

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History of the EPA — As Only We Alumni Can Tell It!