A look at the U.S. EPA

The EPA was established in 1970 by President Richard M. Nixon to “protect human health and the environment.” To do so, the agency develops and enforces regulations addressing clean air, land and water, and works to reduce environmental risks based on scientific information. As part of this remit, EPA jointly manages the ENERGY STAR program with DOE. It also reviews the safety of chemicals used in the workplace and takes a lead role in ensuring that contaminated lands and toxic sites are cleaned up

EPA works closely with state governments. Nearly half of its budget goes to state environmental programs, nonprofits, educational institutions and others to advance its mission. The agency operates 27 laboratories across the country that study environmental issues and potential solutions. It also is tasked with educating people about how best to protect the environment. For more information about the EPA, subscribe to its RSS feed here, or follow the agency on Twitter or Facebook. EPA also publishes a number of blogs.