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Environmental Protection Agency - United States

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Contents

[edit] Goals


[edit] Guiding Principles


[edit] Activities

EPA's civil, cleanup, and criminal enforcement programs work with the Department of Justice, state, and Tribal governments to take legal actions in both federal and state courts that bring polluters into compliance with federal environmental laws. The Agency emphasizes those actions that reduce the most significant risks to human health or the environment, and consults extensively with states and other stakeholders in determining risk-based priorities.
As a regulatory agency, EPA is authorized by the US Congress to write regulations that explain the critical technical, operational, and legal details necessary to implement laws. EPA regulations cover a range of environmental and public health protection issues, from setting standards for clean water to specifying cleanup levels for toxic waste sites to controlling air pollution from industry and other sources. Each year, the EPA issues approximately 130 substantive regulations that apply nationwide. In addition, the Agency publishes about 900 proposed regulations, technical corrections to existing regulations, State Implementation Plans (SIPs), and other information related to the enforcement and implementation of existing regulations. All these work involves expert scientists, economists, and other analysts as well as other government agencies' representatives, both local and abroad.
The Office of Research and Development (ORD) is the scientific research arm of EPA. It performs research and development to identify, understand, and solve current and future environmental problems, provide responsive technical support to EPA , integrate the work of ORD's scientific partners (other agencies, nations, private sector organizations, and academia), and provide leadership in addressing emerging environmental issues and in advancing the science and technology of risk assessment and risk management. The ORD has seven laboratories and research centers and two offices located across the US.
[edit] Environmental Protection Activities Not primarily handled by the EPA


[edit] Laws and EOs administered, in their entirety or a portion, by the EPA

[edit] Other Environmental Laws Establishing EPA's Authority


[edit] Partnerships

EPA's partnerships with companies, organizations, communities, and individuals helps the EPA meet its goals. The EPA has the following Partnership Programs (with a descriptive classification of the program):[1]

The goal of this partnership is to reduce emissions and product content of PFOA, PFOA precursors, and related higher homologue chemicals by 95% by 2010 from a year 2000 baseline, and to work toward eliminating emissions and product content by 2015.
This program is jointly sponsored by EPA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Energy. The program encourages the profitable use of methane recovery (biogas) technologies at confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) that manage manure as liquids or slurries. These technologies reduce methane emissions while achieving other environmental benefits. Up to 2008, the number of operational digester systems in the United States has grown to more than 125.
This program aims to increase the amount of recycling and reuse of post-consumer carpet, and reduce the amount of carpet going to landfills.
The program is working to reduce the pollution emitted from diesel engines across the country through the implementation of varied control strategies and the sustained involvement of national, state, and local partners.
This program is for state and local governments that are interested in adopting energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reductions programs.
the program works with companies to develop long-term comprehensive climate change strategies. Partner companies commit to reducing their impact on the global environment by completing a corporate-wide inventory of their GHG emissions based on a quality management system, setting aggressive reduction goals, and annually reporting progress to EPA. Through program participation, companies create credible records of accomplishment and receive EPA recognition as environmental leaders.
a voluntary program for coal companies and related industries promotes the profitable recovery and use, rather than emission, of coal mine methane (CMM), a GHG over 20 times as potent as carbon dioxide. If recovered, CMM can serve as an alternative and profitable energy source. Up to 2008, CMOP has assisted U.S. projects to capture and use over 300 billion cubic feet of CMM.
A voluntary program co-sponsored by EPA, the American Coal Ash Association, the Utility Solid Waste Activities Group, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture–Agriculture Research Service, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, and the Electric Power Research Institute. The program encourages the use of coal combustion products (CCPs), byproducts generated from coal-fired power plants, as a replacement for Portland cement in concrete. Increased use of CCPs reduces energy consumption and GHG emissions because fewer virgin materials need to be mined and processed (mining and processing activities, especially the production of cement, consume energy and produce significant GHG emissions).
The program encourages use of Combined heat and power (CHP), or cogeneration, systems to meet the thermal and electrical base loads of a facility. CHP can greatly increase the facility’s operational efficiency and decrease energy costs because they capture and utilize heat that would otherwise be wasted through electricity production. CHP systems require less fuel than equivalent separate heat and power systems to produce the same amount of energy.
This voluntary public-health educational outreach program helps people with asthma and their families reduce adverse health outcomes and the economic burden due to asthma by promoting best practices, which integrate control of environmental triggers as a component of comprehensive asthma management.
This program provides support to communities that are interested to establish comprehensive septic (onsite) management programs.
labels or recognizes products made with the safest possible ingredients that are cost-effective and high-performance. Energy efficiency is also a key attribute. The redesign of chemical products offers important opportunities to remove polluting chemicals from formulations before they can enter the workplace, home, or environment, and to advance energy and water efficiency, resource conservation, and innovative technologies. As of 2008, DfE has recognized 500 products.
A joint program of EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy that helps American businesses and consumers save money and protect the environment by investing in energy efficient products and practices. Through the ENERGY STAR program, EPA has partnered with thousands of organizations across the residential, commercial and industrial sectors to increase the sales of energy efficient products bearing the ENERGY STAR label, raise energy efficiency standards for new home construction and existing home renovations, and improve the efficiency of commercial and industrial facilities through strategic energy management practices.
The program provides third party testing of the performance of innovative technologies that have the potential to improve protection of human health and the environment.
Encourages federal facilities and agencies to purchase greener electronic products, reduce impacts of electronic products during use, and manage obsolete electronics in an environmentally safe way.
This program facilitates the change-out of old, dirty, inefficient, “conventional” wood stoves manufactured before 1988 to new, cleaner-burning appliances like gas, pellet, and EPA-certified stoves. Moving to cleaner technologies reduces particulate matter and air toxics (indoor and outdoor), improves energy efficiency, and reduces fire hazards. EPA certified wood stoves emit approximately 70 percent less pollution than older, conventional wood stoves.
An EPA cooperative alliance with the supermarket industry, refrigeration equipment and chemical refrigerant industries to promote the adoption of advanced technologies, strategies, and practices that reduce emissions of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and greenhouse gases (GHGs). GreenChill offers companies the chance to benchmark their emissions reductions vs. their peers and to receive awards for achieving their annual emissions reduction goals.
Promotes the use of renewable energy by providing technical assistance, networking possibilities, and public recognition to companies that choose to utilize green power (i.e., electricity that is generated from resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and low-impact hydro facilities).
A collaborative venture among industry, EPA, and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). GSN works with all levels of the manufacturing supply chain to improve processes and minimize waste generation. Through onsite GSN review, suppliers continuously learn ways to increase energy efficiency, identify cost-saving opportunities, and optimize resources and technologies to eliminate waste. The result is more effective processes and products with higher profits and fewer environmental impacts.
the program provides cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions for large-scale landscaping. Green landscaping means buying fewer products and switching from the purchase of disposable products to those that are long-lasting and reusable.
Includes- SF6 Emission Reduction Partnership, Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership (VAIP), SF6 Emission Reduction Partnership for the Magnesium Industry, and EPA's PFC Reduction/Climate Partnership for the Semiconductor Industry. These partnerships involve various industries that are developing cost-effective improvements in their industrial processes to reduce emissions of perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).
Partner chemical manufacturers and importers are made to make public health and environmental effects data of chemicals produced or imported in the United States in great quantities.
Aims to reduce exposures to indoor environmental contaminants in schools through the voluntary adoption of sound indoor air quality management practices.
Laboratories require tens of millions of dollars worth of energy to run and add tens of thousands of pounds of pollution to our air, soil and water. EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy are helping new labs and retrofitting existing labs to help cut their energy costs and reduce environmental damage. The goal is to create energy self-sufficiency for all EPA labs, modeling these savings for other science labs throughout the country.
LMOP encourages the recovery of landfill gas (LFG)—mainly carbon dioxide and methane—for use as an alternative energy source. The program helps communities, landfill owners, utilities, power marketers, states, project developers, tribes, and non-profit organizations overcome barriers to project development by helping them assess project feasibility, find financing, and market the benefits of project development to the community. LFG projects can generate revenue from the sale of the gas as well as save on cost in their use as replacement to expensive fuels.
An initiative founded by EPA, the Society of Automotive Engineers, and the Mobile Air Conditioning Society. The partnership reduces the environmental impact of mobile air conditioning through the recovery and recycling of CFC-12 and HFC-134a refrigerants and the development of new, environmentally superior air conditioning technologies. Program participants help promote next-generation mobile air conditioning systems that are better for the environment while satisfying customer safety, cost, and reliability concerns. Program participants also partner in developing cost-effective designs and improved service procedures to minimize refrigerant emissions.
EPA asks companies to provide basic information about the manufacture, use, and properties of nanoscale materials or provide more in-depth information through additional testing. This is for quantifying both risks and benefits from the use of nanoscale materials. The information gathering stage ended in January 2010.
The program recognizes and drives environmental excellence by encouraging private and public facilities with strong environmental records to go above and beyond their legal requirements. Member facilities voluntarily commit to typically four public, measurable goals to improve the quality of the air, water, and land. Members include major corporations, small business, and public facilities that are steering a course toward environmental excellence— and setting an example for others to follow.
Encourages, through recognition, minimization of hazardous and industrial wastes.
Encourages companies across the natural gas and oil industries to adopt cost-effective technologies and practices that improve operational efficiency and reduce emissions of methane, a potent GHG. The program provides companies with technical assistance in the implementation of recommended best management practices and provides other strategy suggestions based on successful past experiences of its members.
Encourages manufacturers to improve air quality through developing and distributing cleaner, more efficient outdoor wood-fired hydronic heaters. Outdoor hydronic heater is another name for an outdoor wood-fired or biomass boiler or outdoor wood-fired or biomass furnace. EPA provides program support to encourage the consumer purchase of outdoor hydronic heater models.
EPA works collaboratively with companies, non-profit organizations, communities, and individuals, addressing a wide variety of pest management issues and risks to human health and the environment.
Encourages people to recycle and reuse old electronic devices. Partner manufacturers and retailers agree to assist with recycling events or with the promotion of the program. The program’s goal is to reduce the amount of waste (both of materials such as plastics and hazardous substances such as lead) that results from the disposal of old electronics. Plug-In also partners with governments and non-profits that play a key role in the reuse and safe recycling of unwanted consumer electronics.
The radon program emphasizes reducing radon risks in homes located in identified high radon areas through focusing on key targets of opportunity, such as real estate transactions and new home construction. The program thereby attempts to maximize the number of homes with radon reducing features, thus minimizing the second leading cause of lung cancer.
encourages consumers to retire old, inefficient refrigerators, freezers, air conditioning units, and dehumidifiers, and implements best practices for the recycling/disposal. EPA provides partner recognition for achievement through press releases, brochures, articles, and awards. RAD partners include utilities, municipalities, retailers, manufacturers, universities, and other interested organizations.
A multi-agency effort that aims to remove inappropriate, outdated, unknown and unnecessary chemicals, prevent future chemical mismanagement in schools through training, curriculum and policy change and long-term management solutions, and raise awareness of chemical issues in schools and promote sustainable solutions.
EPA works with priority manufacturing industries and service sectors to promote widespread improvement in environmental performance with reduced regulatory burden.
A program that addresses the environmental and economic challenges surrounding growth in the freight industry. EPA certified SmartWay logo became available to allow consumers to quickly and easily identify the cleanest, most fuel-efficient trucks and cars on the road today. Any company that ships products stands to improve its bottom line by joining.
An environmental and health education program that aims to teach children and their caregivers how to protect themselves from overexposure to the sun through the use of classroom-, school-, and community-based components.
Chemical developers are enabled to identify potentially risky chemicals early in the development process and reduce risk by finding safer substitutes and/or processes before submitting them to the EPA.
Thirty-five companies and 10 consortia that manufacture or import chemicals provide information on health effects, exposure, risk, and data needs particularly to the risks identified with children.
EPA works with aluminum smelters to increase production efficiency and implement other cost-effective strategies to reduce the emissions of perfluorocarbon (PFC). VAIP partners have reduced PFC emissions per ton of aluminum produced by 77 percent between 1990 and 2004.
Helps organizations eliminate costly municipal solid waste and select industrial wastes. Partners set waste reduction goals and design waste reduction plans tailored to their businesses.
Aims to protect the future water supply by promoting and enhancing the market for water-efficient products and services.
[edit] Other EPA Programs
A program started by the EPA and US Dept of Transportation, recognizes employers that offer traffic-reducing commuter benefits such as free or discounted transit passes, vanpool services, or telework programs.
an information system that helps companies evaluate, compare, select, and purchase more sustainable desktop computers, notebooks, and monitors and provides electronic equipment manufacturers a clear and consistent set of performance criteria for product design as well as new opportunities to distinguish their products in the marketplace based on environmental performance.
Lean manufacturing is a business model and collection of tactical methods that emphasize eliminating non-value added activities (waste) while delivering quality products on time and at the least cost with greater efficiency. In the United States, lean implementation is rapidly expanding throughout diverse manufacturing and service sectors, such as aerospace, automotive, electronics, furniture production, and health care, as a core business strategy to create a competitive advantage.
An international initiative that advances cost-effective, near-term methane recovery from agriculture (animal waste management), coal mines, landfills, and oil and gas systems, and use as a clean energy source. Cost-effective technologies for capturing and using methane as a clean energy source are available for every sector on which the Methane to Markets Partnership currently focuses. Partners share lessons learned and collaborate on projects aimed at addressing challenges to methane recovery, raising awareness in key industries and removing barriers to project development and implementation.
The U.S. Department of Energy and EPA jointly facilitate the Action Plan and its Leadership Group of more than 60 leading privately, publicly, and cooperatively owned electric and gas utilities, utility regulators, state agencies, large energy users, consumer advocates, energy service providers, and environmental and energy efficiency organizations. It aims to create a sustainable, aggressive national commitment to energy efficiency through the collaborative effort.
Encourages semiconductor companies to commit to reducing the emissions levels of perfluorocompounds (PFCs). The partnership promotes the use of various environmentally superior technologies and alternative chemicals.
A partnership of government, business, and civic organizations that works to encourage land use development that serves the economy, the community, and the environment. Smart growth practices can lessen the environmental impacts of development with techniques such as compact development, reduced impervious surfaces and improved water detention, safeguarding of environmentally sensitive areas, mixing of land uses (e.g., homes, offices, and shops), transit accessibility, and better pedestrian and bicycle amenities. The high quality of life in communities that consider smart growth makes them economically competitive, creates business opportunities, and improves the local tax base.


[edit] Regional Offices and Research Centers and Laboratories

Note: Facilities presented under each region do not necessarily mean regionalization in their operating coverage.


[edit] Reference

Environmental Protection Agency

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