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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Bill Ruckelshaus and some of his closest aides recall the Opening Months of the New Agency in 1970
Bill Ruckelshaus, EPA's first Administrator, and three of his closest aides reminisce about the startup and earliest days of the new agency. Their recollections--some serious and some humorous--shed light on the decisions that laid the foundation for today's EPA.
Chapter 1: Major Elements of the Legislation and their Historical Context
(33 minutes) From Early Implementation of the Safe Drinking Water ActIn this chapter the panelists discuss the context for the passage of the legislation and the major components of the program.
Chapter 4: The California Federal Implementation Plan
(19 minutes) From Early Implementation of the Clean Air Act of 1970 in CaliforniaDavid Souten and William Ruckelshaus discuss the challenges of preparing a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) to meet the court mandate to develop a plan within 9 months to attain the standards by 1...
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: EPA's Relationship with the Private Sector
(8 minutes) From Former Deputy Administrator Hank Habicht talks about management at EPAHank Habicht's views of the relationship between EPA and the Private Sector, then and now.
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 ProgressCategories: 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.
Environmental Almanac: May: Blossoms in the Trees
From Energy and the Environment, May. 1977
EPA Researchers Seek Answers to Ground-Water Contamination
From Protecting Ground Water: The Hidden Resource, Jul. 1984Categories: Research, Superfund, Water: General
The Greenhouse Gases by Richard D. Morgenstern and Dennis Tirpak
From The Greenhouse Effect: What Can We Do About It?, Mar. 1990Categories: Climate
Return to Hopewell by Rembert Brown
From Industry and EPA, Jan. 1978Categories: Health, Industry, Pesticides
Books & Articles by Alumni
Some of the most detailed history of EPA is contained in books and articles written by alumni.
Chapter 6. The States Begin to Take Charge
From Borrowed Earth, Borrowed Time: Healing America's Chemical Wounds by Glenn E. SchweitzerCategories: Toxics
Chapter 1: Toxic Chemicals Move to Center Stage
From Borrowed Earth, Borrowed Time: Healing America's Chemical Wounds by Glenn E. SchweitzerCategories: Air: General, 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 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
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.
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
Reorganization Plan that Created EPA
From Reorganization Plan that Created EPA
Creation of EPA: Message to Congress
From Creation of EPA: Message to CongressSearch all history files.
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