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 James (Jim) Seif
Jim Seif, former Regional Administrator in EPA’s Region 3 and Secretary of Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection discusses his experiences during a 45-year career in environmental regulation.
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 2: Regulatory Structure of the Clean Air Act of 1970
(13 minutes) From Early Implementation of the Clean Air Act of 1970 in CaliforniaWilliam Ruckelshaus describes the new CAA's extreme measures and deadlines. John Wise describes the air quality standards, stationary and mobile source control requirements. Dave Calkins ...
Chapter 3: Working Against an Immovable Deadline
(8 minutes) From The Anthrax Cleanup on Capitol HillWorking seven days a week and 18 hours a day while overcoming obstacles ranging from hidden rooms to sudden breaches in containment, the response team begins the clean-up. Among the big...
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.
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."
Superfund: A Half Century of Progress
From Superfund: A Half Century of ProgressCategories: Superfund
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.
Four-Footed Detectives by Susan Tejada
From Protecting Public Health, Dec. 1984Categories: Research
The Environmental Justice Movement by Dorceta Taylor
From Environmental Protection: Has It Been Fair?, Mar. 1992Categories: Civil Rights, Environmental Justice, Health, Toxics
Books & Articles by Alumni
Some of the most detailed history of EPA is contained in books and articles written by alumni.
Chapter 4. Explaining Risks to an Aroused Public
From Borrowed Earth, Borrowed Time: Healing America's Chemical Wounds by Glenn E. SchweitzerCategories: Toxics
Chapter 7. The Greening of Industry
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. Oge
Chapter 8. Exceeding the Absorptive Limits of the Global Commons
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.
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
Reorganization Plan that Created EPA
From Reorganization Plan that Created EPA
First Presidential Environmental Message (Nixon) 1970
From First Presidential Environmental Message (Nixon) 1970Search all history files.
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