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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Environmental Protection Agency
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency logo.svg
Seal of the Environmental Protection Agency
Flag of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.svg
Flag of the Environmental Protection Agency
Agency overview
Formed December 2, 1970; 46 years ago (1970-12-02)
Headquarters Washington, D.C., U.S.
38°53′38″N 77°01′44″W / 38.893881°N 77.028891°W / 38.893881; -77.028891Coordinates: 38°53′38″N 77°01′44″W / 38.893881°N 77.028891°W / 38.893881; -77.028891
Employees 15,376 (2016)
Annual budget $8,139,887,000 (2016)
Agency executives
Website www.EPA.gov

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or sometimes USEPA) is an agency of the Federal government of the United States which was created for the purpose of protecting human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress. The EPA was proposed by President Richard Nixon and began operation on December 2, 1970, after Nixon signed an executive order. The order establishing the EPA was ratified by committee hearings in the House and Senate. The agency is led by its Administrator, who is appointed by the president and approved by Congress. The current acting administrator is Catherine McCabe. The EPA is not a Cabinet department, but the administrator is normally given cabinet rank.

The EPA has its headquarters in Washington, D.C., regional offices for each of the agency's ten regions, and 27 laboratories. The agency conducts environmental assessment, research, and education. It has the responsibility of maintaining and enforcing national standards under a variety of environmental laws, in consultation with state, tribal, and local governments. It delegates some permitting, monitoring, and enforcement responsibility to U.S. states and the federally recognized tribes. EPA enforcement powers include fines, sanctions, and other measures. The agency also works with industries and all levels of government in a wide variety of voluntary pollution prevention programs and energy conservation efforts.


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