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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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 2: Early Days of Environmental Enforcement
(8 minutes) From Interview with James (Jim) SeifSeif describes his experience as a young Assistant U.S. Attorney prosecuting steel companies for water pollution before the Clean Water Act existed and his first tour at EPA as one of the agency&rs...
Chapter 3: Running an Independent Program within a Larger Agency.
(18 minutes) From The Underground Storage Tank Program's Early Management ChallengesHow the UST program ran relatively independently plus Ron Brand's suggestions for "lessons learned."
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 6: EPA's Challenges
(4 minutes) From Reflections on US Environmental Policy: Interview with William K. ReillyBill Reilly discusses the Agency's relationship to the Congress and the importance of international work as part of the Agency's mission.
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. HERE ARE SOME SUGGECTED ARTICLES FOR YOU TO SAMPLE
From Lumber to Lampshades by Kathrin Day Lassila
From Recycling: Closing the Loop, Jul. 1992Categories: Solid Waste
Sustainability and People of Color by Mencer Donahue Edwards
From Post-Rio: The Challenge at Home, Sep. 1992
Behind the Effluent Guidelines
From Toxics in Water: A Hidden Threat, Sep. 1985Categories: Policy and Planning, Water: General
Air Toxics: The Problem by David Durenberger
From The New Clean Air Act: What It Means to You, Jan. 1991Categories: Air: General, Toxics
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
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
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
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
First Presidential Environmental Message (Nixon) 1970
From First Presidential Environmental Message (Nixon) 1970
Creation of EPA: Message to Congress
From Creation of EPA: Message to Congress
Reorganization Plan that Created EPA
From Reorganization Plan that Created EPASearch all history files.
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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)